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TEST  TARGET  (MT-3| 


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Photographic 

Sciences 
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CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

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Collection  de 
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Tecnnlcal  and  Bibliographic  Notes/'Notes  techniqu«s  et  bibliographiques 


The  c 

to  th( 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best 
original  copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this 
copy  which  may  be  bibliographically  unique, 
which  may  alter  any  of  the  images  in  the 
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G 

□ 

G 
n 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 

Covers  damaged/ 
Couverture  endommagee 

Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restauree  et/ou  pelliculee 

Cover  title  missing/ 

Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 


L'Tnatlfuf  a  mlcroflTme  Te  meTIteur  exempf^ifS 
qu  il  lui  a  ete  possible  de  se  procurer    Les  derails 
de  cet  axemplaire  qui  sont  peut-etre  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduite.  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  methode  normale  de  filmage 
sont  indiques  cidesscus 


r~~l     Coloured  pages/ 
I I    Pages  de  couleur 


□ 


:     Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommagees 


Pages  rMtOrad  and/or  laminated/ 
Pages  mt»ur*M  •t/OU  p«liiCulees 


r^K^P«g«s  diseoiourvd.  suinad  or  toxea/ 
UILJ   Paget  dAeoior^s.  tachatiaa  ou  piquias 


Thai 
possi 
of  th 
filmii 


Origi 
begii 
the  I 
sion, 
othe 
first 
sion, 
or  ill 


G 


n 


G 


Coloured  maps/ 

Cartes  giographiquea  en  coulaur 


□    Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  thatt  Wu9  or  blackl/ 
Encre  de  couleur  ji.e.  autre  qwt  MtuO  OU  noiro} 


G 

□    Boun 
Reii^ 


Coloured  plates  and/or  iilustrationt/ 
Planches  et/ou  illustrations  an  couiour 


Bound  with  other  matariat/ 

avec  d  autres  documontt 


Tight  binding  may  causa  shadowt  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

La  re  liure  serree  peut  causer  de  I'ombro  ou  do  it 
distorsion  le  long  de  la  marge  int^rrieuro 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  passibta.  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  aiout^aa 
lors  d'une  restauration  apparaissent  dans  (a  tenia. 
mais.  lorsque  cela  etait  possible,  csa  pages  n'ont 
pas  et^  film^es. 


□   Pages  detached/ 
Pages  diitaehAos 

r~l^Showthfough/ 
UiLl   Transi9aranco 

□   Quafity  of  print  varies/ 
Qualit*  in*gafa  da  rimprassion 

|~n   Includes  supplementary  material/ 


D 
D 


Comprand  du  mat4riei  supplimantaire 

Only  edition  avaiiabto/ 
Saula  ddition  disponiblo 

Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
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ensure  the  bust  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  totalement  ou  partieilement 
Obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata.  una  pelure. 
etc..  cnt  ete  filmaes  a  nouweau  de  tacsn  i 
obtenir  la  maille'ire  image  possible. 


The 
shall 
TINL 
whic 

Map 
diffa 
entir 
begi 
righl 
reqii 
metl 


G 


Additional  commenia:/ 
Commentaires  supol^niarttsires: 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  chacked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  filme  au  taux  de  rSduction  indtqu^  ci>daSfeOus. 

10X  14X  18X  2ZX 


26X 


30X 


I    I    1^     i    I  I    i ill 


12X 


16X 


20X 


24X 


28X 


UX 


Ills 

ine 
age 


The  copy  filmed  here  has  b-^en  reproduced  thank« 
to  the  gene.osity  of: 

Metropolitan  Toronto  Library 
Canadian  History  Department 


The  images  apraaring  here  are  the  bti^i  quality 
possible  consiaering  the  condition  and  legibility 
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filming  contract  specifications. 


Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covers  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  aacH  mtcrofichft 
•hall  contsin  the  symbol  — hn-  (meaning  "CON' 
TINUED  '),  or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END  J, 
whichever  applies. 

Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  b«  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  expoeure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  ae  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


L'exemplaire  film6  fut  reproduit  grdce  d  la 
gin^rosit^  de: 

Metropolitan  Toronto  Library 
Canadian  History  Department 


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plus  grand  soin,  compte  tenu  de  la  condition  et 
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conformity  avec  les  conditions  du  contr.it  de 
filmage. 

Les  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprimis  sont  film^s  en  commenqant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
derni^re  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  le  second 
plat,  SQlon  le  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  film^s  en  commencant  par  la 
premiere  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  dernidre  page?  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

Un  des  symboles  auivants  apparaitra  sur  la 
dernidre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas-  !e  symbole  — ♦-  signifie  "A  SUIVRE",  le 
•ymbole  V  signifie  "FIN". 

Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  dtre 
filmis  A  des  taux  de  reduction  diffdrents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  Stre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  cliche,  il  est  film6  d  partir 
de  Tangle  supdrieur  gauche,  de  gauche  d  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  n^cessaire,  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  mdthode. 


ata 


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3 


2X 


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t 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

#a 


THi: 


COAL  TRADE  OF  BRITISH  AMERICA, 


WITH 


RESEARCHES 


ox  TBI 


•I 


• 


CHARACTERS  AND  PRACTICAL  VALUES 


OP 


AxMERICAN  AND  FOREIGN  COALS. 


Hi*   ll\§ liTMiR  JR,  J^OMrJVSOJ\\ 

CIVIL  AND  MININO  ENGINEER  AND  CHEMIST,  WASHINOTON,  D,  C. 


WASHINGTON: 

TAYLOR  U  MAIKY,  FENSDVLVANIA  AVEHt'I. 


P  ir  I L  A  I)  E  L  P  H I A : 

A.  HART,  BOVTHGABT  CORNER  UP  FHIRTU  AND  CHESTNtTT  STRICT. 

1850. 


Entered  according  to  act  of  Congress,  by  Walter  R.  Johnsoii,  in  the  Clerk's 
Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  District  of  Columbia,  1850. 


^U-ht- 


• 


T-.nKRs,  I'RisTEB,  H'aMngton, 


.y 


■ 


■PHH! 


CONTENTS. 


he  Clerk's 
iO. 


Pagt. 

PRSFACe 5 

Coal  Mineti  fnd  Coal  trade  of  New  Brunswick  and  Nova  Scotia 9 

Section  I.  Situation  of  th<>  Minin?  districts 9 

II.  P«i<*itinn  of  cnM  teum^  in  rc«ii>>ct  to  water  level 13 

III.  Tiiicknpsji  and  inclitmtion  of  hpds 13 

IV.  Situation  wiJh  fcopect  to  navijyaMe  waters IS 

V.  Cos*  of  minins,  tran!«ponin{».  and  loading  coal , 16 

VI.  W.»{»f!s  earned  hy  miners  and  othera, 19 

Vn.  Origin  and  stability  of  mining  popuJation... 9l 

VIII.  Length  of  th«' s*"f»8on  for  shippins;  coal , 31 

IX.  Prioe  of  Coal  for  home  cnosiirnptiort  and  for  export .......  2i2 

X.  Wi'iijht  of  a  chaldron  at  Picfo)»  .md  Sydney 23 

XL  Use  to  whirh  the  fine  or  "sbck"  coal  isappUed 2i» 

XH.  Frpiiihts  to  Hoston  and  other  Anipricarj  ports ., S3 

XIII.  DilTerence  of  fr«tj;ht  at  Dostan  between  Nova  Scotia  and  Phila- 

delphia, and  its  causes...,. 26 

XIV.  Number  and  class  of  vp-ssefe  pnip}oy«»d  in  the  Coal  trad*-,,...    99 

XV,  Importation  of  Nova  Scotia  and  oiJter  coals  into  thtr  United  States  30 

XVI,  Faciliti»-9  fur  increasing  mining  operations „..,  33 

XVII,  Nova  Scotia  coa!(»  compared  with  Anthrncitf* 34 

XVIII.  Ahsolut*-  and  v.tri(iWff  density  of  Pictoii  coal 38 

XIX.  Control,  Manaij 'men?,  and  Rent  of  Mines 40 

XX.  Appeal  of  the  Minins;  Asaociation  to  i\w  Government 48 

ApPK.vptx  A.  Letter  froTn  S.  Cunard,  Esq.,  to  liord  Viscount  Falkland 44 

AprF.yDjjf  B,  Return  of  the  (jnantity  of  coal,  rtiised,  sold,  and  exported ^9 

CoMPARtSOX  OF  BXPERI.MEVTS  0»  AMF.niCAV  AND  FoRETaS  CoAT.S !a9 

Tabular  view  of  the  composition  of  Welsh  furnace  coals 60 

Rkport  of  British  Experiments 62 

Table  I.  Showing;  the  specific  and  latent  heat  of  water  and  steam 69 

II.  Showing  the  Economic  Valtie.s  of  the  coals...,. , , 73 

III.  Showiii?  the  mean  composition  of  averag*  samples  of  the  coals...  76-7 

IV.  Sliowiii!»  the  caloriiic  values  of  the  coals , , 78-9 

V.  Showinir  the  nmonnt  of  various  substances  produced  by  the  deslnic- 

live  distillation  of  certain  coals , ,  80-1 

VI,  Showing  the  actual  duty  and  that  which  is  theoretically  possible,  of 

the  coals , , 82-3 

Remarks  on  the  foregoing  report. , 90 

Manner  of  obtainins;  the  samples  for  trial ,..  90 

Evaporatins  apparatus 9| 

Economic  weit;lit  of  coals ,.  92 

Moisture  in  coals... .„.., ,  94 

Tafde  of  relations  between  fi.xed  and  vototite  combustible  matter 96 

Cohesive  power  of  coals , 98 

Nitroi»en  snd  Ammonia  in  Coals 19 

Expansion  of  water  at  high  temperatures ; , 

Tables  of  expansion  of  water  in  iron 

Estimation  of  water  supplied  to  the  boiler  according  to  temperature..         .. 

Heating  power  of  Coals  according  to  classes ..  «  . 


4 

Latent  heat  and  heat  of  capacity  of  water. ,....  iiu 

Use  made  of  the  h*'ntin!»  power  of  coals {m 

Coinposii  iou  anJ  l.^ot-nl,s.,ihio:T  power  of  the  gases  of  chimney.!!."!!!!!"!!! !    lOS 

*j.\ed  Cnrhon  as  a  m? aeure  of  bratwg  power 106 

Conipftrison  of  Ccrbon  aud  ifydrogen  with  practical  heating  pVwer.!!.*.'.!!!!!*.  108 

Hwtmi;  power  m.aa.ued  by  ihe  red.tction  of  litharge ...  no 

ret  centag^  of  Carbon  as  a  liieasure  of  heating  power !! in 

I  awe  of  Ameticm  an-ilyses.  proximate  and  ultimate,  to  show  the  Vaw'of 

-r     **"/"!!".",v«'P''wer according  to  percentage  o( earhon 117 

Table  ot  British  coals  in  the  order  of  their  carbon  constituent 120 

Kantiy  residiua  of  the  coals joY 

I'se  ot  wood  in  heating  up  the  boiler  and  furnace.!!.'!!!!"!!! ! 12fi 

'''Tr'aritr:.!*"'"'""  "■"'  '^"■"'  "^>^'«^'^  ,„ 

Errata .!.'."'! o 

Synoptical  taWe  of  Aule'ricnn  coaia.!!!!!!!!*! },? 

Class  I.  Anthrncifes,  Nafornl  Coke,  Artifici«|  Coke  mi;Vn;;;V,!'!!V;.!!!!;!'""!  132 

II.  In-e-hmtxwg  hnmmom  of  Maryl.-md  and  iVnn.ylvanin nj 

Specific  gravity,  as  an  hVdtV  of  VurVty'Jn  coaVs ! Hf 

balfs  of  Ammonia  in  the  dust  of  anthracite  fiirnact-a  !!!!! 1  Tr 

Mechfimral  structure  and  relative  a<4«-H  of  coals t'lr 

crs''.!!?!!.!"  I*'*'  "***'''*  ''^  ^*'"'''  ^^''''''  *'"'  «>m;' Vvnn«;i*;a;,ia'amhV.;! 

Analyses  of  American  and  foreij/n  eoaJs,*! ". |e^ 

Analysis  of  the  Natural  Coke  of  Virginia         ir* 

Coal  from  the  Valley  of  Hazle  Creek,  Pa..!!!!!! ,e^ 

Coals  of  Bradford  county,  Pa  .                          ?J 

Recem  Wn<;.vr,oxs  fiEumt  T^^^  161 

I.  Coal  fields  of  North  Carolina :;!J 

Analy.es  of  D..,,  river  coals.  North  Caroji^a!!.','!!:!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! us 

II.  Anthracite  of  Russia fj!^ 

m.  Kenhawa  Cannel  coal ".!! ,  .« 

IV.  Cannel  coal  from  Beaver.  Pa !! tJS 

y.  Coals  of  Littk-  Sandy  river.  Kenntcky!."!!!!!""'*; ,!'« 

VIII.  Arkansa.^  coal *'^ 

IX.  Anthracite  of  IVn^bWk^^lii^Tsmuh  Wal";: }i.? 

XI  ilS  iS'?^^'^:;"^" "'"'  ^"^«^-^  --'i^  MdZ::!!!!!!!!!!!!!  IS 
xij.  Spring  Hill,  jv,,^.,  »;„,,)„  coal.*.!!!!'.!!!!!!*! I-? 

VtJ-  ^'''^*  *>*  J'i««lp  "v^r,  Cnpc  Breton .";""" |:T 

XIV.  Coal  of  New  Brunswick..,.  ]i.i 

-M-V  ^'^^^''H'"'"*^''''  «:'"»J.  Clover  H.ii,  va.!!.'!!!!'! }4r 

t-oal  trorn  the  «ame  .ean,  as  above,  and  wiVhT,;'';*  few'iy«"„V  Vhe 

LwKc  an  jppvcanoe  pit «»  vi  uw 

feummary  of  Analyses  *'" 

Practical  Hints  for  ^^^^'c^^Ki^d;^;;;;;^^;^;;^-^^^    }2| 


PREFACE. 


1^ 


A  wide  spread  interest  is  involved  in  supplying  mineral 
coal  to  the  markets  of  the  world,  and  for  the  multiplied  uses 
of  modern  civilization. 

While  employed,  as  informer  times,  almost  solely  for  do- 
mestic  consumption,  its  value  was  little  understood,  except 
by  those  who  inhabited  countries  exhausted  of  other  fue!,  or 
subjicted  to  th,«  severity  of  a  ri;-.>rous  climate.  But  since  the 
discovery  of  its  great  advanla-es  in  many  metallurgic  pro- 
ee«se.s-since  its  vast  urility  for  the  production  of  steam  be. 
came  known,  and  especially  since  tlie  pracUcability  of  navi- 
gating the  of-.an  l»y  sttvan  was  discovered— Oo.u.  has  assumed 
for  all  naiions.  i,»  all  climatrs,  an  importance  which,  a  century 
ago,  had  not  entered  into  the  conceptions  of  men. 

As  an  article  of  commerce  it  is  not  even  in  our  own  time 
estunatrd  as  its  real  importance  slu.uld  seem  to  warrant. 

Of  f>jhcr  bulky  articles  in  wliich  commerce  is  carried  on 
mauulacturin^r  industry  conunouly  returns  to  us  some  part  of 
the  identical  subsfanre  which  it  had  received  as  a  raw  ma- 
terial, somefhin^'  visible  and  tangible  of  which  our  senses  can 
still  lake  co-nizance-sonR.thiH^r  wUich  arrests  our  attention 
and  ehaneu<.,.s  notice  or  admiration,  recalling  our  minds  to 
the  orj^nnal  condition  of  those  materials  by  which  our  wants 
are  supplied  or  our  senses  gratified.    Thus  the  garments  we 
wear  constantly  renu.ul   us  of   the  «ax,  cotton,  «ilk,  wool 
hemp,  lur,dovv«.  leather,  &e.,  which  may  chance  to  enter  into 
their  comp(»sition.    The  urnamcnts  of  our  persons,  our  dwel- 
lings,  or  our  lurniture,  recall  the  precious  metals,  the  gemv 
the  paints,  the  dye  stuffs,  employed  in  the  decorative  arts' 
1  he  needle  which  embroiders,  the  lancet  which  punctures,  the 
hair  sprmg  which  so  delicately  balances  and  regu!ates-no 
less  than  the  ploughshare  which  turns  our  soil,  the  anchor 


ivhicli  moors  our  battle  ship,  or  the  ehain,  or  the  monster  tube 
whir  a  bear  us  safely,  in  mid  air,  over  the  chasm  of  Niagara, 
or  the  strait  of  Menai — admonii^hes  us,  at  every  step,  of  the 
obligations  which  vre  owe  to  the  metal  of  which  they  are  all 
composed.  The  cereal  grains  return  from  the  manufacturer 
in  the  form  of  flour,  bread,  starch,  or  fermented  liquors,  all 
indicating  the  materials  to  which  they  owe  their  origin. 

On  the  contrary,  the  material  which  furnif^hes  motivr  power, 
is  either  wholly  overlooked,  or  soon  forgotten.    The  evanes- 
cent movement  of  maohinery,  which  transports  materials  from 
place  to  place,  or  transforms  them  from  one  sliape  to  another, 
leaves  nothing  visible  or  tanj,'ihle  on  which  our  senses  can 
dwell.    The  corn,  it  is  true,  lias  hiM-n  ground,  hut  no  trace  of 
the  grinding  power  in  seen  in  the  bread,  or  tlie  starch.    Cotton 
flax,  and  wool  have  l>ren  syAin ;  jron  and  ?i(»vl  forgod ;  copper, 
zinc,  gold,  and  silver  nultcd ;  drugs  and  tlye  stud's  pulverized; 
but  they  show  no  external  signs  of  the  coal,  or  fire,  or  .sttam, 
by  the  agency  of  which  these  tr:in.sformatt<«n.s  have  been  ef- 
fected.   We  see  around  us  the  fuhrics  which  were  ordered 
from  Manchester  a  sliort  month  ago,  and  w<!  lian«ll<^  the  yellow 
bars  and  dust  which  left  San  Francisco  within  the  Inst  forty 
days ;  but  o(  the  miraculous  power  wlii<  h  lias  wing<*d  their 
way  hither,  we  see  no  traces  on  the  surface,  and  are  prone  to 
forget  tlie  useful  labor  of  the  black  masses  by  which  we  are 
so  largely  bene(itted.    A  piratical  act  lias  hwn  c<nnndttcd,  or 
a  hostile  invasion  is  attempted  or  intended,  and  the  arm»)f  our 
national  power  is  s^tretched  forth  to  thwart  the  designs  of 
wicked  men,  but  without  the  aitl  of  this  dark,  forbjddinj 
mineral,  the  interposition  of  tliat  arm  would  bo  all  too  tardy- 
its  efforts  altogether  unavailing. 

It  is  but  a  lew  years  since  foreigners  began  to  understand 
that  coal  existed  extensively  in  our  country.  The  qmet  man- 
ner in  which  the  development  of  a  few  detached  coal  fields 
near  the  Atlantic  border  had  been  carried  on,  gave  tha  im- 
pression, that  if  coal  existed  at  al!  in  the  United  States,  it 
must  be  small  in  .luantily,  and  of  doubtful  qitality,  and,  there- 


's 


fore,  the  less  said  about  it  the  better.  Since,  however,  we 
have  beffun  to  make  known  by  oiTicial  and  authoritative  .Jocu- 
ments  the  numerous  varietioH  and  the  high  qualities  of  Aihpri- 
can  coals,  the  attention  of  capitalists  has  been  turned  in  the 
direction  of  our  coal  fields,  and  monry  has  flowed  into  the 
country  to  be  invested  in  lands  and  mining  operations,  and 
in  the  rail  roads  and  canals  intended  for  conveying  coal,  or  in 
ocean  steam  sliips  to  be  propelled  by  American  coals,  or  in 
manufactories  to  be  actuated  by  the  same  material. 

To  make  known  our  mineral  districts  and  the  value  of  their 
products,  is,  therefore,  one  of  the  most  effective  means  of  sc- 
curinj?  rlio  investment  of  whatever  capital  may  be  necessary 
not  only  for  their  development,  but  also  for  the  construction 
of  the  public  works  wluch  n^ciHtate  their  transportation. 
The  Chesapeake  and  Ohio  Canal  has  remained  many  years 
incomplete,  and  might  probably  have  continued  so  much 
longer,  hati  it  not  been  clearly  established  that  its  extension 
would  brit)g  it  to  a  coal  liehl,  alfording  fuel  of  the  most  valu- 
able  kind,  and  in  the  greatest  abundance. 

In  respect  to  the  comparison  which  we  have  instituted  be- 
tween  the  results  of  experiments  on  American  and  foreign 
coals,  it  may  be  stated,  that  their  purpose  is  to  make  the 
American  reader  ar<iuainted  with  a  more  extensive  series 
than  our  own  researches  had  been  able  to  embrace  of  the 
celebrated  coals  of  England,  .Scotland,  Ireland,  ami  Wales. 

It  is  creditable  to  our  own  Government  that  it  took  the  in- 
itiative in  researches  respecting  so  important  a  subject  as  the 
value  of  coals.  Should  it  continue  the  same  to  completion, 
both  the  interest  and  the  credit  of  the  nation  will  doubtless  be* 
largely  benefitted;  but  without  such  completion  it  must  stand 
in  the  attitude  of  one  listlessly  neglecting  the  advantages  of 
his  own  position. 

One  highly  important  question  to  be  practically  determined 
by  further  experiments  on  American  coals,  espeeiallv  >n  those 
of  the  West,  is  their  relation  in  value  to  the  several  kinds  of 
wood  for  which,  both  in  steamboats  and  on  shore,  they  are 


r  f 


likely  to  be  extensively  substituted.  The  necessity  of  this 
branch  of  inquiry  being  carried  on  whe/the  wood  can  be  p.-o- 
cured  in  all  the  conditions  in  which  it  is  habitually  used,  would 
indicate  that  the  cxperhuents  should  be  performed  at  the 
WePt,  whftrc  both  the  woods  and  the  coals,  still  awaiting  trials, 
are  mostly  found. 

Following  the  discussion  of  the  able  and  important  Report 
on  British  coals,  will  he  found  accounts  of  certain  characters 
and  habitudes  of  coal  in  general,  regarded  as  a  mineral  body. 
The  present  volume  cmbfaccf*,  moreover,  accounts  of  analy- 
ses, mado  by  the  writer,  on  American  and  foreign  coals  not 
embraced  iii  his  report  to  the  Xavy  D(>pnrfnietJt  iti   1811,  and 
of  certain  coal  firhls  visited  and  explored,  with  a  view  to  the 
extent  and  character  of  their  minerals.    The  most  recent  of 
these  explorations  is  that  of  the  limited  but  exceedingly  in- 
teresfiHg  and  valuable  coal  ticld  found  in  the  centre  of  North 
Carolina,  aflbrding  a  curious  illustration  of  the  causes  which 
have  operated  to  produce  the  various  kinds  of  coal  ranging 
from  highly  bituminous  through  semi-bituminous,  and  an- 
thracite, to  perfect  plumbago. 

In  regard  to  the  information  contained  in  these  pages  res- 
petang  the  New  Brunswick,  Xova  Scotia,  and  Cape  Breton 
eoal  tiekis,  the  writer  takes  great  pleasure  in  acknowle.lging 
bis  obligations  to  Richard  Brown.  Esq..  of  Sydnev,  to  Henry 
Poole,  Esq..  of  Alhion  mines ;  to  J.  W.  Dawson.  E.q.,  of  Pie- 
tou  ;  to  Joseph  Smith,  Esq.,  of  Atrdierst ;  to  Moses  H.  Perley 
hsq.,  of  St.  Johns;  and  to  Mcs.<.r.s.  Archibald,  Bracket  and  An- 
drews. American  Con.ub  at  Sydney,  Pictou,  and  8t.  Johns 
respectively  for  much  valuable  assistance.    He  would  also 
testify  to   the  uniform  courtesy  and  kindness  with  which 
throughout  his  tour  in  the  Provinces,  he  was  treated  by  all' 
wuh  whom  jt  was  bis  good  fortune  to  become  acquaimed,  or 
from  whom  he  had  occasion  to  make  inquiries. 
Washington,  December  20,  1849. 


>  f. .-. 


COAL  MINES  AND  COAL  TRADE 


or 


NEW  BRUNSWICK  AND  NOVA  SCOTIA. 


The  following  statements  of  facts  and  observations  con- 
tain the  result  of  a  perHonal  examination  of  the  several 
mining  districts  of  t!ie  Northeastern  British  Provinces  made 
during;  the  summer  of  181(5.  Th«  coals  "f  tlios*'  provinces 
having  been  tostc'd  by  the  author,  during  his  research  on 
Am»;rican  coals,  and  the  coal  lit^lds  from  which  they  were 
derivcil,  having  hevn  to  some  extent  mad<!  known  by  the  la- 
bors of  Messrs.  Jackson  and  Alger,  Dr.  Gcsner,  Richard  Brown, 
Esq.,  and  3Ir.  Lyell,  the  writer  felt  much  interi'st  and  curi- 
osity in  making  a  comparison  between  the  advantages  and 
capabilities  of  tliose  mines,  and  many  which  he  had  profes- 
sionally examined  in  various  parts  of  the  United  States. 

These  statements  are  believed  to  possess  an  interest  for  all 
who  are  concerned  in  the  ownership  or  management  of  mines 
in  the  United  States,  and  with  this  view  are  submitted  to  the 
public,  together  with  the  rxcompanying  documents,  which 
will,  perhaps,  in  some  degree,  enable  the  American  reader  to 
estimate  the  value  of  those  treasures  of  mineral  fuel  which 
yet  lie  unexplored  in  various  parts  of  our  extended  territory. 
The  citations  may  show  with  what  fostering  care  the  authori- 
ties of  the  provinces,  as  well  as  of  the  parent  country,  have 
watched  over  the  mining  interests  of  Nova  Scotia,  and  of  the 
enterprising  Association  by  whose  skill  and  pei-severance  so 
valuable  a  trade  has  been  secured  in  the  United  States. 

I. — Situation  of  the  Mining  Districts. 

The  principal  mining  districts  where  operations  are  at  pre- 
sent carried  on,  are  those  of  Pictou  and  Sydney.  The  former 
is  situated  in  the  northeastern  part  of  the  peninsula  ol  Nova 
Scotia,  one  hundred  and  six  miles  by  the  road  from  ILiIilax, 
and  eighty  miles  by  t*ie  course  of  navigation,  in  a  due  west 
direct iou  from  the  northern  entrance  of  the  gut  of  Canso. 
The  latter  is  on  the  eastern  part  of  the  Island  of  Cape  Bre- 
3 


4^ 


10 


« 


ton,  disiaut  fVoiu  l'i<.;!(ju,  by  the  usual  route  of  travel,  about 
one  hundred  and  eighty  miU's. 

As  to  the  extent  of  these  two  districts  I  may  observe,  that 

ilif  f>ntire  .iren  af  the  fie!d  in  which  the  coal-henrin,?  strata  of 
Pictou  occur,  lias  been  estimated  by  Messrs.  Brown  and  Smith 
at  twcnUj-eight  squair  nil/cs,  but  owinjr  to  numerous  faults  and 
dislocations,  the  space  actually  available  for  riiining  purposes 
is  far  less  than  that.  Indeed  the  oidy  seam  now  worked,  is, 
by  Mr.  Brown's  estimate,  hnoicn  to  underlie  not  more  than 
three  square  miles. 

The  Sydney  district  is  much  more  extensive.  It  reaches 
from  the  north  side  of  Cow  Bay  to  the  northerly  division  of 
Mil  e  Bay,  to  the  northern  j)art  of  Boulardrie  Island,  a  dis- 
tance of  thirty-live  miles.  An  average  of  four  or  five  miles 
in  width  may  be  assi;;ncd  to  this  district.  But  this  includes 
numerous  bays  and  indentations  of  the  coast. 

From  the  authority  just  cited  it  appears  that,  after  deduct- 
ing the  water  surface,  this  coal  field  contains  "owe  hundnd 
and  ticenty  square  mihs  of  land  containhi'j;  ivorkafdc  iriiis  of 
cof/Z."  The  most  important  mines  in  this  district  are  situated 
about  nine  miles  distant,  in  a  direction  nearly  due  north  from 
the  ancient  town  of  Sydr?y. 

About  nine-and-a-half  miles  east-southeast  from  the  above 
mines,  and  near  the  enti-anee  of  Bridgeport  basin,  a*^  the  head 
of  Lingan  Bay,  are  the  Bi-idgeport  mines,  not  now  in  operr-'ion. 

About  three-and-three-fourths  miles  in  a  west-noriliwe.st 
course  from  the  Sydney  min(s,  are  those  of  Little  Bras  d'Or, 
situated  on  the  channel  of  that  name.  At  this  locality,  also, 
operations  are  for  the  present  suspended. 

At  the  south  end  of  this  coal  iwU\,  nearly  on  a  line  witli  the 
above  three  collieries,  and  on  the  northern  side  of  Cow  Bay, 
is  an  ancient  min(>  said  to  have  been  worked  by  the  French 
for  the  su])ply  of  Louisbm-g,  while  they  licld  possession  of 
this  island  some  ninety  or  one  hundred  years  ago. 

Besides  the  above  districts,  there  is  a  third  near  the  north- 
ernmost part  of  the  peninsula  ol"  A'o\ a  Scotia,  a  few  miles 
from  the  isthmus  connecting  it  with  New  Brunswick.  In  this 
district  two  small  colUeries  have  been  commenced — one  on 
the  shore  of  the  Cumberland  IJasin,  the  casterh  di\ision  of 
the  west  bi-anch  of  the  Bay  of  Fi.ndy,  at  a  place  well  known 
as  the  "South  .loggins,"  about  ninety  miles  from  St.  'ohn, 
and  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  from  Eastport,  the  border 
town  of  the  State  of  Maine:  the  otluM',  s(ncnteen-and-a-half 
miles  inland,  from  the  same  ])oint  at  the  .loggins,  in  a  south-, 
easterly  direction,  at  a  place  called  Sprin^^  Hill. 


4 


J 


n 


Thus  Wo  finfl  in  Nova  Scotia,  including  Cape  Breton,  seven 
points  at  \\  liicli  the  mining  of  coal  for  comm«;rcial  purposes 
has  been  more  or  less  extensively  prosecuted. 

In  the  Province  of  New  Brunswick  arc  several  small  coal 
mining  establishments,  five  or  six  of  which  are  on  the  waters 
t)r  tributaries  of  Grand  Lake,  which  opens  into  the  St.  John's 
river  by  a  navigable  passage  called  the  Jcmseg.  Near  the  he:.-  * 
waters  of  the  Oromuctoo  river,  another  tributary  of  the  St. 
John's,  falling  into  it  from  the  southwest,  ten  miles  below 
Fredericton.  is  an  opening  from  which  coal  has  been  taken  to 
supply  blacksmiths  in  the  neighborhood. 

The  mines  on  Grand  Lake  are,  by  the  course  of  navigation, 
from  sixty  to  seventy  miles  above  the  city  of  St.  John. 
Coasting  vessels  of  one  hundred  tons  burden  may  approach 
within  a  few  hundred  yards  of  the  drifts  by  which  they  are 
worked. 

On  New  Castle  river,  Salmon  river,  and  Coal  Creek,  are 
openings  where  a  few  hundred  chaldrons  are  annually  mined. 
St.  John  and  Eastport  are  probably  the  most  distant  markets 
to  which  this  coal  has  hitherto  ^bund  its  way. 

The  breadth  of  the  coal  formation  in  this  part  of  New 
Brr.nswick  is  by  the  course  of  the  St.  John's  river,  from  the 
mouth  cf  the  Washadamoak  to  that  of  the  Keswick,  a  few 
miles  above  Frcderiekton,  something  more  than  fifty  miles. 
But  neither  in  this  nor  in  any  other  part  of  New  Brunswick, 
could  I  learn  that  workable  seams  of  more  than  twenty  or 
thirty  inches  in  tliickness  have  yet  been  opened.  I  saw  none 
over  twenty-two  inches  thick,  but  was  informed  that  on  Salm- 
on river  a  drift  had  been  carried  four  hundred  feet  in  a 
bed  of  twenty-four  or  twenty-five  inches.  About  eight  miles 
from  one  ofthe  mines  on  Grand  Lake,  an  exploration  was 
made  some  years  ago,  by  boring  to  the  depth  of  four  hundred 
and  three  feet,  but  nothing  was  discovered  of  more  impor- 
tance than  the  seam  of  twenty-two  inches.  This  bed,  where 
if  is  worked  on  the  borders  of  the  lake,  is  nearly  horizontal, 
and  its  covering  very  light,  not  generally  exceeding  ten  or  fif- 
teen feet  in  thickness. 

Besides  the  above  districts,  in  which  active  mining  opera- 
tions have  been  carried  on,  it  may  not  be  improper  to  refer  to 
other  portions  of  both  provinces  which  are  known  to  contain 
coal. 

1.  On  Inhabitants  river,  a  little  to  the  east  of  the  Gut  of 
Canso,  in  the  Island  of  Cape  Breton,  extending  some  miles  op 
that  river,  and  believed  to  continue  southcastwardly  to  its 
opening  into  Inhabitants  Bay,  is  a  narrow  coal  district,  in 


12 


V- 


which  one  or  two  openings,  to  supply  coal  for  domestic  use, 
have  been  made  by  the  owners  of  the  soil.  Accordinf?  to  my 
estimate,  the  district,  at  the  part  traversed,  has  a  breadth  of 
about  three  miles;  aritl  it  may,  in  all  probability,  be  from 
seven  to  ten  miles  in  length.  This  is  inferred  from  informa- 
tion received  relative  to  points  where  coal  has  actually  been 
opened. 

2.  The  northwest  part  of  the  Island  of  Cape  Breton,  extend- 
ing from  Port  Hood,  on  Ht.  George's  Boy,  along  the  coast  north- 
eastwardly to  Mabou,  and  thence  to  Broad  Cove  and  Chim- 
ney Corner,  contains  a  coal  field,  of  which  the  limits  inland, 
are  as  yet  undetermined,  and  in  which  the  thickness  and  value 
of  the  seams  are  yet  to  be  ascertained.  The  coal  is  repre- 
sented to  crop  out  in  the  steep  blull's  of  the  sea  coast,  as  in 
other  parts  oi'  this  islan<l,  and  («•  have  been  occasionally  pro- 
cured for  use  by  the  inhabitants.*  The  length  of  this  district 
is  about  forty  miles, 

3.  Thin  seams  of  coal  are  found  within  fourteen  miles  of 
the  town  of  Truro,  on  the  road  from  Pictou  to  that  place. 
One  bed  of  two-and-a-half  feet  thickness  has  been  worked 
by  a  resident  on  the  ground,  at  a  depth  of  thirty  feet.  The 
coal  was  judged  to  be  of  inferior  quality. 

4.  A  seam,  said  to  be  five  fe«>t  in  thickness,  of  impure  coal 
and  slate  intermixed,  has  been  opened  between  the  Ihbert 
and  Folly  rivers,  on  the  north  side  of  Cobequid  Bay,  sixteen 
or  seventeen  miles  north-northwest  from  Tnn-o.  The'pit  being 
filled  with  water  at  the  time  of  my  visit,  the  character  of  the 
seam  could  be  judged  of  only  by  information  from  the  pro- 
piietor,  and  the  nature  of  the  materials  thrown  out.  They 
concurred  in  proving  that  the  seam,  thus  far  pm-sucd,  had  nut 
developed  anything  to  warrant  extensive  operations. 

5.  In  the  county  of  Westmoreland,  \ew  Brimswich,  a<!t«»ln- 
ing  Nova  Scotia,  is  an  irregular  district  of  country  eontainint; 
coal  ineasures,  th<'  limits  of  which  have  been  describc<l  wiili 
some  minuteness  by  Dr.  Abraham  Gesner,  wljo  math-  a  G<'o- 
logical  survey  of  that  province.  He  has  refprr<'d  tv  pf»ints 
where  coal  has  been  discovered  on  Trout  Creek,  Pollef  Kiver, 
Coverdale  River,  and  other  tributaries  of  the  Petit  Cudiac.  On 
passing  through  this  district,  from  Amherst  to  St.  .lohn,  I  was 

•  In  relation  to  thin  coal  field,  Richard  Brown.  Estj.,  in  hisjrijier  on  ttif  tUohgy 
of  Ciipe  Breton,  (Quarterly  .Fouriial  of  Geolo^'y,  No.  2,  May,  lf*-i'i.)  r^-ruarks  »h;it, 
"  On  the  weslerii  shore  of  Ciipv  Breton  the  millstone  grit  coniniences  at  thr  nortli- 
*rn  end  of  the  Gut  of  Cango,  niid  it  unJerli-s  the  coal  measures  which  extend  in  a 
narrow  Mt  fronj  Port  Hood  to  Chimney  Comer,  near  Marttarje.  I  tiavf  tint  visited 
this  part  of  the  Island,  hut  am  oreditily  tnfunned  that  valuable  seanwuf  coal  exist 
at  both  extremities  of  this  coal  field." 


i 


13 


unal)!c  to  learn  that  any  openings  of  good  workable  coal  have 
yet  been  made. 

As  the  researches,  by  boring,  made  by  Moses  11.  Pf  rley, 
Esq.,  on  Sahnan  River,  in  1810,  above  referred  to,  are  cited 
at  large  by  Dr.  Grsncr,  I  made  inquiries  of  that  gentleman, 
relative  to  the  suoeessof  any  investigations  since  that  period, 
in  discovering  va!u.'il)Ie  seams  of  coal,  but  was  assured  that, 
toUie  best  of  his  knowledge,  no  bed  containing  more  than 
twenty  or  twenty-two  inches  of  ^oo^/rw// is  yet  known  to  exist 
in  New  Hrunswiek.  Mr.  IVrley,  however,  among  other  facts 
Miji(!h  be  obligingly  communicated,  stated  that  a  wealiuy 
English  capitalist  had  recently  purchased  some  forty  thou- 
satid  acres  of  land  near  Hathurst,  on  the  Bay  of  Chaleurs, 
with  a  view  to  mining  operations  in  coat  and  other  minerals. 
Should  any  ijcds  M'orlh  working  be  found  at  that  locality,  they 
could  scarcely  compete  in  the  American  markets  with  the 
cools  of  Nova  JScotia,  unless  a  ship  cnnal  should  afibrd  a  com- 
mtiniciition  lu'tween  the  Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence  and  the  Bay 
of  Fundy. 

II. — Position  of  Coal  Seams  in  REsrEcr  to  Water  Level. 

1.  The  lowest  part  of  the  present  workings  at  Pictou  are 
f<r>ur  hundred  and  fifty-one  feet,  vertically,  below  the  surface 
of  the  ground,  and  four  hundrtrd  and  tM'enty-seven  feet  below 
tide  water,  distant  about  half  a  mile. 

2.  At  Sydney,  the  greatest  depth  of  working  below  the  sur- 
face is  three  btmdre*!  and  fifteen  feet,  and  below  tide  level 
two  hundred  and  twenty-five  feet,  distant  about  one-third 
of  a  mile. 

3.  At  Bridgeport,  I^ittle  Hrns  d' Or,  and  the  South  .Toggins, 
the  mines  have  thus  far  been  drained  by  horizontal  drifts. 
At  the  last  mentioned  point,  the  coal  is  also  carried  out  on 
the  same  level,  and  put  on  board  of  vessels,  laid  up  at  high 
tide,  directly  at  the  mouth  of  the  drift. 

4.  At  Spring  Hill,  the  workings  have  hitherto  been  carried 
only  along  the  out-crop,  and  the  water  has  been  kept  out  by 
hand  pumps.  But  at  this,  as  well  as  at  the  three  preceding 
localities,  vertical  pits,  descending  below  water  level,  will 
doubt  less  be  resorted  to  in  easjc  of  any  considerable  extension 
of  the  works. 

III. — Thickness  ano  Inclination  of  Bfins. 

At  Pictou,  the  great  seam  is  twelve  feet  thick,  with  an 
inclination  to  N.  41°  E.  of  W.  It  is  worked  in  long,  parallel 
level  boards  eighteen  Icet  wide,  by  means  of  four  pits,  along 


14 

the  lino  of  the  main  "  board  gate,"  and  from  the  bottom  of 
each  pit  runs  a  horse  gate  or  road  in  opposite  directions  along 
the  level  or  strike  of  the  bed.  Each  road  takes  the  coal,  not 
only  of  its  own  excavation,  but  also  that  of  the  five  boards 
next  above  it,  brought  in  by  branch  roads  cut  obliquely  up- 
ward through  the  walls  of  coal  left  between  the  boards. 

At  Sydney,  the  thickness  of  the  bed  is  six  feet,  inclined  in 
an  angle  of  about  1^,  at  the  northern  end,  toward  the  X.  (>'»* 
£.,  and  at  the  southern  end,  to  the  N.  80°  E., showing  a  slight 
curvature  of  the  stratification.  This  bed  is  worked  by  driving 
oblique  headways  from  the  main  horse  gate  or  level,  rising 
in  an  angle  of  about  ir,  and  breaking  off  or  turning  out  from 
this  with  the  rooms  sixteen  and  a  half  feet  wide,  and  leaving 
pillars  of  the  same  breadth. 

At  Bridgeport,  the  thickness  of  seam  is  nine  feet,  divided 
into  three  equal  portions  by  two  plies  of  slate,  at  first  only  a 
few  inches  thick,  but  which  on  pursuing  the  bed  to  some 
distance  became  much  heavier,  and  slill  further  on  had  grown 
to  several  feet,  rendering  it  impossible  longer  to  w^ork  the 
coal  in  a  single  level.  The  inclination  is  one  in  fourteen^  or 
from  4  to  6%  and  the  available  breast  or  "  riw;*'  1/JOO  to  1,50() 
feet. 

At  Little  Bras  d'Or,  the  thickness  is  four  feet,  and  the  incli- 
nation in  a  northeasterly  direction  7*.  The  coal  is  raised  by 
a  horse  gin. 

At  the  South  Joggins,  the  thickest  bed  is  four  feet.  It  dips 
to  the  S.  28  W.  in  an  angle  of  23^. 

At  Spring  Hill,  the  bed  is  said  to  be  fifteen  feet  thick,  but 
only  eleven  feet  are  regarded  as  workable.  The  inclination 
is  to  the  N.  30  W.  3r. 

IV.—SlTUATfON    WITH   HESrE«T   TO  NuiOABLE   WaTKRS. 

The  Pictou  mines  are  six  miles  by  railroad  from  the  load- 
ing ground  at  the  mouth  of  East  river,  which  is  three  miles 
by  the  course  of  the  channel  above  the  town  of  Pictou.  This 
railroad  has  an  inclination  towards  the  harbor  of  one  fo<»t  per 
mile.  It  is  laid  with  edge  rails, and  cost,  together  with  three 
locomotives,  $280,000.  Except  at  a  passing  place  twi>  miles 
below  the  mines,  the  road  is  laid  with  but  a  single  track. 
The  locomotives  at  present  in  use  are  able  to  make  about  five 
trips  each  per  day  over  the  road,  conveying  about  ninety  tons 
of  coal  in  a  train  of  thirty  cars.  Though  really  on  navigable 
w.iters,  the  loading  ground  is  not  reached  with  ease  and 
safety  at  all  stages  of  tide  and  states  of  weather.  For  greater 
security  and  dispatch,  many  avail  themselves  of  the  services 


;/ 


\ 


;/ 


15 

of  a  steam-tug  owned  by  the  Association,  for  which  a  rate 
of  towaf?e  acconJinR  to  tonna'^e  is  demanded.  This,  as  well 
as  pilotafjie,  lij^ht  inonry,  consuliir  fees,  atul  port  charges,  be- 
comes a  charge  upon  thl'//f /^'•/(/,and  ultimately  upon  the  loal. 

The  Sydney  mines  arc  within  three-eighths  of  a  mile  of  the 
sea  shore,  but*  as  the  coast  is  there  too  much  exposed,  and  the 
water  too  shallow  for  large  vessels,  a  railroad  about  three 
miles  in  length*  has  been  constructed  to  reach  a  suitable 
ioadiTig  ground,  at  a  point  .just  within  tlie  mouth  of  Sydney 
harbor,  called  the  **  Bar,"  where  vessels  ride  in  safety  at  all 
times  during  the  shipping  season. 

The  Ih-idgeport  mines  are  almost  directly  on  the  sea  shore, 
at  which  is  an  old  wharf  formerly  used  by  the  colliers.  But 
a  railroad  one  and  three-fourth  miles  in  length,  mostly  con- 
structed on  a  natural  embankment  of  sand,  now  connects 
tliem  with  the  loading  ground  at  Bridgeport  basin.  Want  of 
time  compelled  me  to  forego  a  visit  to  these  mines. 

The  Little  liras  d'Or  mine  is  but  a  few  hundred  feet  from 
the  channel  of  that  name  and  about  four  miles  above  its 
mouth.  The  loading  ground  has  but  a  single  shute,  and  is 
adapted  only  to  small  vessels.  But  little  coal  has  yet  been 
taken  from  this  mine,  and  that  eheifly  for  smiths'  use. 

Preparations  are  made,  and  an  engine  house  is  erected,  for 
sinking  a  new  pit  during  the  ensuing  winter,  on  a  seam  of 
coal  four  feet  eight  inches  thick,  which  underlies  the  six  feet 
seam  now  worked  at  Sydney  colliery,  by  a  vertical  distance 
estimated  by  jNfr.  Brown  at  three  hundred  and  pJnety  feet. 
This  pit  is  to  be  near  the  line  of  the  level  part  of  the  railroad, 
and  but  two  miles  from  the  loading  ground.  The  coal  will 
probably  be  reached  at  a  depth  of  h'ss  than  three  hundred 
feet.  I'he  seam  is  said  to  be  free  from  slate  and  of  a  very 
pure  quality. 

At  the  South  .Toggi,«/s  district,  the  pit  proposed  to  be  sunk 
for  working  the  four  feet  seam  will,  it  is  supposed,  be  one  and 

•TtiiBroa«f  is  a  somewhat  inU'rnipU-ii  orhroken  line.t'Htploying  various  kinds  of 
powor.  The  coal  pul  upon  tin-  ro;nl  (rom  the  pit's  mouth,  first  (It'scends  an  inctined 
pJatK"  four  hundred  or  five  hundred  feel  lont;,  drawing  up  ballast  cars,  which  in  turn 
drsi'etul  and  draw  up  the  empty  cars,  h  is  then  takt'ii  up  by  stationary  power, 
over  an  incliiifd  plane,  twelve  hundred  feet  in  length,  to  the  commencement  of  a 
level  c;ctioJi  of  rood  one  a-  \  one-fourth  mile  in  length,  over  which  it  is  drawn  by 
horae  power.  It  then  nrrivea  at  the  head  of  a  descending  plane  one  and  a  fourth 
mile  in  length,  with  nn  inclina;ion  of  thirty-six  feet  to  the  mile,  over  which  the 
cor«  descend  by  gravity,  accompanied  by  horses  riding  in  appropriate  care  to  take 
back  those  which  are  empty.  It  UnaUy  passcB  over  a  self  acting  inclined  plane,  one 
thou»tnd  (tet  iu  length,  with  an  inclination  of  one  in  thirtif  or  one  hundred  a.td 
8eveniy>Bix  fe>i  per  mile,  drawing  up  the  empty  cars,  and  thus  arrives  at  a  wharf 
on  which  are  the  loading  t-hutes,  (lixteen  feet  above  high  water  level.  Trnnaporta. 
tioD  cos!8  mote  here  than  at  I'tctou. 


16 

a  half  miles  from  thft  loa<Iing  ground  near  the  mouth  of  the 
river  Hebert,  about  three  miles  al)ove  IMinudie, 

To  bring  the  coa)  of  Spring  Mill  to  tide-water,  either  on  the 
Macan  basin  or  at  the  mouth  of  the  Hobcrt,  will  require  a 
railroad  of  more  tlian  twelve,  and  in  the  latter  case,  probably 
sixteen  miles  in  length.  Could  a  trade  of  forty  or  fifty  thou- 
sand chaldrons  per  annum  be  relied  on,  the  Association  would 
doubtless  feel  warranted  in  at  once  incurring  the  expense  of 
this  road. 

From  all  the  above  statements  it  may  be  inferred  that  few 
mining  districts  in  any  country  present  iacilities  for  reaching 
navigable  tide  wateis,  equal  to  those  of  Nova  .Scotia  and  es- 
pecially of  Cape  Breton, 

The  distance  of  Pictou  and  Sydney  from  Boston  is  nearly 
the  snme,  or  about  six  hundred  and  twrnty-tive  milrs;  that 
from  Minudif  to  Boston  will  not  exceed  four  hundred  and 
fifty  miles,  which  is  rather  less  limn  the  distance  from  Boston 
to  Philadelphia. 

V. — Cost  of  Mt.NiNo,  TRA^feroRTI^c,  and  LnAniNc  Coal. 
At  Pictou^  coal  Is  mined  by  the  cu!)ic  yard,  the  miner  find- 
ing his  own  lights  and  powder.  To  tlie  end  of  July  lasf,  I 
learned  that  the  price  paid  per  cubic  yard,  excavated  in  the 
regular  hoards,  eighteen  feet  wide  and  twelve  high,  was 
twenty-six  and  two-third  cents;  in  headings  only  nine  feet 
high,  thirty.one  and  two-third  cents;  in  seven  feet* gangway;?, 
thirty-three  and  a  half  cents;  and  for  passages  or  openings'of 
still  less  heighth,  thirty-six  and  two-third  c(>nts.  Far^the 
greatest  part  of  the  coal  is  paid  for  at  the  first  named  rate. 
From //ro  cubic  yards  excavated  is  obtained,  on  an  average, 
one  chaldron  of  coarse  markefable  coal,  and  on<^.fifth  of  a 
chaldron  of  slack.  Of  the  former  the  Pirfotf  rhufdron  weighs 
1.575,  ami  of  the  latter  1.75  ton?.  Consequently  J. 9a  tons  of 
the  mixed  coals  cost  fifty-three  aud  a  third  cents. 

At  the  first  of  the  above  rales  the  U>n  costs  '^H.8  cents. 
second         "  "  3;i.() 

third  «  «  31.9 

fourth  "  ♦•  3K.2 

Considering  the  large  quantity  mined  at  the  lowest  rate,  it  is 
probably  very  near  the  truth  to  reganl  the  whole  as  costing 
thirty  cents  per  ton.  This  charge  covers  the  expense  of  put- 
ting the  co(d  into  skips,  as  well  as  the  &Iate  and  stone,  of 
which  one  or  two  thin  plies  exist  in  the  bed  of  coal. 

To  convey  the  skips  to  the  pit's  bottom,  now  about  sixteen 
hundred  feet  in  each  direction  from  the  workings,  one  boy 


« 


17 


>^ 


at  forty  cftnts  per  dav,  and  one  horse  costing  thirty-seven 
and  a  half  conts  per  day,  may  be  suifirirnt  for  each  two  cut- 
ter" Thoy  send  up  the  produce  of  four  and  a  halt  cubic 
yards  each  per  day,  or  8.fi  tons,  showing  an  expense  of  nine 
cents  per  ton  for  this  part  of  the  mine  charges,  which  w 
doubtless  a  hirgf  allowance.  Propping  may  cost  two  cents 
per  ton  ;  firemen  of  upcast  pit,  watchmen,  and  road  cleaners, 
two  cents  per  ton ;  salaries  of  overseer  and  two  assistants  or 
"oversmen,"  engineers,  and  the  requisite  firemen  at  pits 
moulh,  thrrc  and  a  half  cents  per  ton  ;  tools,  materials  and 
sundries  eight  cents ;  salaries  U>  manager^!,  haihfls,  and  clerks, 
nine  ccn'fs.'  These  items,  whie'f.  of  course  I  offer  only  ns  ap- 
proximations to  the  cost  from  such  data  and  observations  as 
I  could  ol)tain,  will  increase  the  cost  from  thirty  cents  on  the 
sldps,  to  sixtv4hrce  and  a  half  cents  per  ton  of  2,310  lbs.  at 
the  pit's  mouth.  The  calculations  arc  predicated  on  a  J>"«- 
noss  of  about  ninety  thousand  tons,  or  sixty  thousand  1  ictou 

chaldrons  annually.  ,     ,    ,/.  u  i 

Screening  and  loading  cost  eight  and  a  half  cents  per  chal- 
dron,  or  5.4  cents  per  ton,  each  laborer  screening  and  lillmg 
eight  chaldrons  per  day  for  sixty-eight  cents  wages. 

Transportation  and  loading  on  ship  board,  independent  ol 
trimming  in  the  hold,  (Avhich  is  at  the  expense  of  the  ship,) 
cost  about  five  cents  per  ton.  In  this  service  are  employed 
three  locomotives,  of  which  two  only  are  running  while  the 
third  has  its  turn  in  the  *'  hospital."  The  numl)er  of  road  cars 
used  is  one  hundred  and  fil'ty-scvcn,  of  which  thirty  constitute 
a  train.  In  a  full  dav's  work  in  midsummer,  each  locomotive 
makes  five  trips,  or  performs  a  service  equal  to  hauling  ninety 
tons  thirty  miles,  over  a  descent  of  one  foot  in  a  mile,  and 
taking  hack  the  empty  cars.  These  locomotives  have  six 
driving  wheels,  with  vertical  cylinders;  the  fire,  of  bitumen- 
ouscoal,at  one  end  of  the  boiler,  and  the  engine  at  the  other. 
Including  an  extra  return  flue,  they  cost  eight  thousand  dollars 
each.  A  small  passenger  car  accompanies  every  tram,  pay- 
ing its  own  way  from  the  fares  collected  by  the  conductor. 

The  above  e'stimates,  amounting,  for  current  expense,  to 
seventy.iive  cents  per  ton  on  board,  do  not  include  the  repair 
of  roaJl,  wear  and  tear  of  machinery,  interest  on  capital,  or 
rent  and  royalty  to  the  Government.  If  ten  cents  per  ton  be 
added  for  repairs,  it  ought,  in  my  judgment,  to  cover  every 
expense  of  that  nature,  whether  to  road,  cars,  locomotives, 
or  other  machiner\'.  The  very  slow  rate  of  travel  J;'ecures 
the  road  and  its  furniture  from  much  deterioration.  The  use 
of  flat  wire  ropes,  at  the  winding  pits,  renders  the  cost  of  re- 


18 


If    I 


I 


newal  very  light.    With  this  addition  the  cost  is  eighty-five 
cents  per  ton. 

At  Sydnry,  the  mining  of  coal  is  paid  for  at  so  niueh  by 
the  tub,  scut  to  the  hank.  The  "tubs"  are  sheet  hvn  boxes 
thirty-seven  and  a  half  inches  lon^',  thirty  inches  w  ide,  and 
twenty-six  and  a  half  inches  deep,  and  contain,  Winn  even 
full,  sixteen  and  a  quarter  cubic  feet,  and  when  livapfd,  as 
they  usually  come  from  the  pit,  are  computed  and  ealKd  at 
the  mines  mne  hushth,  but  they  actually  contain,  when  even 
full,  10.3,  and  when  heaped,  fully  eleven  coal  bushels. 

In  one  end  of  the  workings,  the  price  paid  is  thirteen  nnda 
third  cents,  and  in  the  other,  owing  to  greater  diUicuity  in 
working,  fifteen  cents  per  tub;  conse{}uently,  the  average 
cost  of  a  tub  IS  fourteen  and  a  sixth  cents  or  1.28  cents  pep 
bushel.     Eight  of  these  tubs  make  a  ear  load,  or  "  New  Cas- 
tle chaldron,"  as  taken  by  the  Association.    When  tirst  taken 
from  the  mines,  one  ninth  part  of  the  whole  is  separated  by 
the  screens  in  the  state  of  slack,  so  that  nine  tubs  must  be 
taken  out  to  afiord  one  ear  load,  and  will  cost  one  dollar  and 
twenty-seven  and  a  half  cents  for  cutting  and  filling  into  tubs. 
As  the  slack  coal  of  this  colliery  is  unsaleable,  its  cost  be- 
comes chargeable  on  that  part  of  the  coal  which  is  actually 
shipped.    Three-fifths  of  all  the  coal  niined  daring  the  year 
IS  laid  upon  the  bank,  while  shipping  is  suspended.    On  this 
portion  of  coal  the  amount  of  slack  is  double  of  that  taken 
duectly  from  the  pit;  consequently  ten  and  two-seventhstubs 
must  have  come  from  the  mine  to  afford  a  car  load,  atVer 
some  months  of  repose  upon  the  banks.    The  cost  of  this 
number  of  tubs  is  81   15.5.     Hence  the  average  cost  of  min- 
ing a  car  load  through  the  year's  operations  is  §1  38.3,  and 
that  of  one  gross  ton,  forty-five  and  a  half  cents. 

In  this  mme  a  single  main  road  is  made  to  answer  fop  all 
the  transportation  to  the  pit's  bottom,  one  winding  enn-ine 
takes  out  the  whole  of  the  coal,  a  much  less  number  of^un- 
der  ground  drivers  and  horses  is  required ;  nearly  thirty  per 
cent,  of  the  matter  cut,  being  in  the  state  of  slack,  is  thrown 
mto  the  gobbmgs,  instead  of  the  whole  being  drawn  up  as  at 
lictou.  l-or  these  reasons,  I  conceive  that  the  remaining 
mmc  charges,  besides  cutting  and  filling  into  tubs,  may  be 
at  least  eight  cents  per  ton  less  than  above  calculated  for 
that  place.  This  would  bring  it  to  the  bank  fop  seventy-one 
cents  per  ton.  ^ 

Screening  and  loading  into  cars  costs  but  half  as  much  at 
Sydney  as  at  Pictou,  but  the  transportation  costs  proportion- 
ally more.    The  two  are  computed  by  Mp.  Brown  to  cost 


19 


nine  pence  currency  (fifteen  cents)  per  clmldron,  or  say  ten 
cents  per  ton.  Tliiw,  witli  an  eiiual  allowauee  tor  wear  and 
tear,  !»rinj;s  the  expense  on  hounl,  uuk-ptiulcut  of  interest  and 
royalty,  t<»  ninety-one  cents  per  ton. 

It  is  eviilent  that  many  of  tlu;  charges  ajjainst  the  ton  of 
coal,  as  at  present  mined,' will  diminish  with  the  extension  of 
business.  Thus  the  salaries  of  rtsidtnt  milna^'e^,  viewi^rs, 
oversmen,  en;^'inccr.s,  tin'mt-n,  clerks,  ajid  various  oilier  per- 
sons pcrmunentlv  attaehed  to  the  niiues,  will  remain  very 
nearly  the  same,  as  at  pres4nt,  even  though  tlic  supposed 
amount  of  business  shoulil  be  d<MdiU'd. 

From  a  report  of  a  eommittee  of  the  House  of  Assembly 
of  Nova  Scotia,  dated  March  '.M,  183i»,  it  appears  that  the 
working  charges  at  the  Albion  Mines,  (lUctou,)  in  September, 
1H:JH,  were  as  follows: 


Pit  charges 
Sundries 
Materials    - 
Salaries 
Carriage     - 


£0    s8 


d7j 
10 
4 
8 

H 


81 


dti? 


$2  2b 


S  11      u  .£4 

exclusive  of  duty,  interest,  or  wear  and  tear. 

The  report  does  not  slate  explicitly  on  what  amount  of  coal 
the  above  ehar^es  were  computed*;  but  as  the  Association 
are  in  the  practice  of  reducing  their  returns  to  New  Castle 
chaldrons,  I  suppose  these  charges  to  refer  to  that  measure, 
which,  being  in  tact  3.1a  tons,  will  give  the  cost  of  the  above 
items  on  one  ton,  71.4  cents.  Unless  operations  were  then 
conducted  on  a  vastly  more  expensive  scale  than  at  present, 
I  cannot  suppose  tliem  to  refer  to  the  chaldron  by  which 
coal  is  now  aoW  in  Pictou.  At  sixty  thousand  chaldrons  per 
annum,  there  will  be  taken  out  every  day  during  three  hun- 
dr*ul  working  days  of  tlie  year,  two  hundred  chaldrons, 
which  was,  very  m-arly,  the  ipiantity  daily  extracted  both  at 
Pictou  and  at  Sydney  at  the  time  of  my  visit.  The  cost  of 
mining  near  the  hcall  of  Grand  Lake,  in  New  Brunswick,  is 
from  seventy.iive  to  eighty  cents  per  chaldron,  or  from  lifty 
to  4ifl} "three  cents  per  ton. 

VI. — Wages  karsed  by  Miners  and  others. 
At  Pictou,  I  was  informed  by  Henrj'  Poole,  Esq.,  the  resi- 
dent manager  of  the  works,  that  miners  cut  four  and  a  half 
cubic  yards  per  day,  which,  at  twenty-six  and  two-thirds  cents, 
the  lowest  price  per  cubic  yard,  gave  him  81  20. 


If 


vj";:.$|  20  rents  per  ilay. 

A  f.rfho..,hroe  ,Io.Iucfions,  the  el.ar  *»:  i  v  can  hv^n  are 

the  Inttor  m.  increave  „f  mfn;  I     ^f'"'-""","'  Kr,-.„t,..I  to' 

not  snecify  the  dSXS.  '  t» '  ''"''''^'r'  '^ '^^''ivf^l  Woes 
i^Wand  sold  in     i   ^^"1^^^^^^  f^)'  '^"'  «s  then-  were 

measure)  it  is-  cv  de  >f7 -Nf  ^/'J^jMrons  of  <-oa|  (PicJou 
this  accmmt  Mi  h  HO  cents  '?i'  ";;i '";^'''»'«  charg.alde  on 
been  8.4f.  cents.  ''"^''    ^"  ^"'"""  ^«'»«  it  would  Lave 

^^^'Z^^:aS,:^  and  Sydney, 

assistant  ove.^pers-  ^t'i/sn  \;  '*     ^ "<^    "versnun"  op 

of  £1,000  eurrencv  or  «4onn  „"""'■  """"'  ''''"•"■«'  »  ^nlarv 
been  »omewha7^k,c.,|  Cn^"  "L""""'  ''»',  """  "««  '"'» 
as  accompli*..,)  a  "l^l:!!  ,,ST;^'"T  •".,'''»«  K™'!.™™ 
Iht'sc  whom  I  h,i,I  tl  e  nie  ,^  »  „f '' '»  '!"•  '"  """  cipacily  as 

oli«ed  less  than  il,o  sumffive  iamll  "^  '""^'y  '«' 


SI 


cent 


VII.— Obwis  and  stability  -^p  Mining  population. 
A  Rrent  part  of  the  mim;r»  in  Nova  8c'ofia  arc  irom  Srot- 
land;  mmv  fium  flic  north  of  Kn^laiul,  aiul  a  fVw  from  other 
parts  of  Uritahi.  Small  numhrM  of  native  Nova  Scotians 
are  cnj;nj;«Ml  ahout  the  mines,  chieily  as  tillers  ami  other  labor- 
ers ahdvc  );;roiJa<l.  i       ut 

The  arraiif^ements  of  t!ie  Association  for  the  comtortablc 
aceommo(hiti(m  of  niiners,  for  tlieir  supply  of  fuel,  for  the 
niedjcnl  atten<laiice  of  themselves  am!  fruuilies,  ami  lor  the 
Cflucation  of  their  children,  toj?ether  with  their  prompt  incmth- 
ly  payment  of  all  dues  in  vifsh,  liave  pr(>h.'il)ly  seemed  as 
much'slahility  and  permanency  amonj?  thin  elass  of  iheir  op. 
ciatives  as  are  to  bo  found  amoni;  that  clas>«  of  persons  m 
atiy  other  miuinj,'  tlistriei.  I  met  wilh  a  few  miners  who  had 
woVkcd  in  our  anthraeite  rc«;ions,  an«l  in  t>lher  parts  ot  the 
United  Slali's,  l)ut  sueh  instances  appeared  to  be  rare,  and 
mi^M-ation  lV<»m  tlie  Provinces  to  the  Slates  more  frequeit  than 
in  the  reverse  direction. 

Tlic  Association,  I  understand,  j^'ive  little  encouraj?ement  to 
return,  to  those  who  have  onee  left  their  works  for  lite  I.  futed 
States,  ntid  decline  to  employ  sueh,  unless  in  urgent  want  of 
hands.  I  was  several  times 'asked  by  labnrini?  men,  mmers, 
and  otliers-,  if  1  thouj;ht  workinj;- peojde  could  get  a  "chance 
now  "in  th«^  States,"'  me.anifig  of  cotirse  ^^ood  tra<ifit. 

I  ?nav  add,  that  in  the  present  state  of  our  mi nuig  interests, 
I  did  nol  feel  warranted  in  answering  such  incpjiries  m  a  way 
to  excite  undue  hopes,  or  to  induce  a  desire  of  eliiuigc  among 
those  who  were  already  obtaining  a  eomfurtable  livelihood. 
The  cflmt/tr  of  Nova.  Scotia  does  not,  probably,  ditier  so 
wtdtly  from  that  of  their  native  country  as  of  itsidf  to  urge 
theSr.oiish  miners  to  seek  a  more  southern  regum.  A  tew 
emigrants  are  understood  to  arrive  every  year  Ironi  Gre^t 
IJrilain,  but  1  <lid  not  learn  that  much  etiort  was  made  by 
the  Ass«)ciation  to  inlroduecthem.  A  native  muung  popu- 
latitm  is  gradually  growing  up  on  the  spot,  superseding,  in  a 
degree,  the  neees'siiy  for  a  foreign  supply. 

Vlli. — Lr.Ncrii  of  the  Ska!*on  iok  !»inrriso  Coal. 

The  8hippin<r  season  at  ]»ietou,  ciunmences,  sometime*.,  as 

earlv  as  the  first  of  Mav,  but,  in  gemrral,  the  trade  cannot  be 

said  to  lie  established  before  the  tiffeenlh  of  that  month.     On 

the  average  of  seasons,  it  terminates  by  the  middle  of  Novem- 

beP.  .  i  «•       • 

This  statement  is  made  on  the  concurrent  testimony  ot  navi- 
gators, residents  at  Pictou,  and  merchants  engaged  in  the 
trade  in  Boston. 


sa 

The  letiijth  of  the  season  is  consequently  sir  months.  Later 
than  the  uiicUfic  of  N«vrml)er,  the  occurrence  of  jsudden  and 
violent  Hforrus,  thf  iMTvalriiee  of  iht*H,  and  ihe  freezitg  up  of 
thf  Ufirfmr,  oj)j»)»ji»  mtImun  oliMtarlcM  to  navi|j;ation.  When 
wintfT  has  fairly  fft  in,  the  fonnafioa  "f  ice  on  the  Norfhum- 
hrrland  Straits,  and  its  coniph'te  jantminy  up  tn  the  (Jut  of 
Cans(),  rrndcr  tlix'  i)ris>a«^<,-of  sliips  pljysically  ijupos.sjhle.  At 
Sydney,  th»»  harhor  oprns  on  thr  hroad  Atlantic,  and  i.s  acces- 
sihlo  !)orh  «'arlicr  and  later  than  thai  of  J'iotoii.  From  the 
middle  of  April  to  the  middle  of  I»«'cf,nih(  r  vessels  inot/  enter 
nnd  depart  ;  hut  vrrr/j  numths  will  generally  be  found  the 
praetiriil  shippiri'^'  time. 

In  point  «>r  filot,  the  active  s'cason  at  Sydney  eomrnenees 
miieh  later  than  at  Pietou.  This  is  mainly  mvini?  to  the  more 
jreneral  aj)[)Iication  of  Sydney  e(»Ml  to  floniestie  purposes  than 
to  that  of  maniifaotures*  The  season  for  its  consumption  he- 
pins  only  witli  the  approach  of  winter,  while  the  uses  to  which 
Pictou  coal  is  applied,  namely,  manufaeturiaj?  and  steam 
navi'.rr»fion,  extend  more  equally  throii-rhout  the  year. 

Should  minins^  operations  he  carried  on  extensively  near 
the  head  of  the  Hay  of  Fundy,  a  seasf)n  not  probably  ex- 
ceeding,' six  and  a  half  months  could  he  relied  on  forshi])pinp. 
The  Si  onus  of  sjirin'/  and  the  i'o<r^  of  autumn,  with  tla;  enor- 
nious  tides  of  nil  seasons,  (rising'  sixty  or  seventy  f<'et  near  the 
head  of  that  Hay.)  eonspire  tc  render  early  and  late  navij^a- 
tion  uncertain  and  hazanlous.  Thedistanee,  it  is  true,  to  the 
ports  of  the  t'nitfd  Slates,  v  ould  be  much  less  than  from 
either  of  the  otluT  points,  and  in  f.ivorable  s*Msons  might  in- 
volve fewer  delays  thfm  from  Pi  clou  or  Sydney. 

Insurance  on  vessels  navii^'atinjr  the  Culf  of  St.  Lawrence 
is  ell'eeted  for  the  .v<//.vo/i,  terminating  generally  with  ihe  lirst 
of  October. 

JX. — pRicc  OF  Coal  for  IIomk  Coxgsu.Mi'Tio.v,  anu  for  ExroRT- 
At  Pictou,  tlio  larsrr  rorrf  is  sold  by  the  small  quantity,  or 
hy  sinfrle  car^^o.^s.  at  n.T  .tO  per  chaldron.  When  one  thou- 
sand  or  more  clialdrons  arc  taken,  a  deduction  of  thirty  cents 
per  chaldron  is  made  at  the  end  of  the  year. 

The  sfffcf,-  or  fine  coal  is  delivered  on  board  at  81  50  per 
chaldron,  with  a  deduction  of  three  per  cent  for  cash  nav- 
inent.  '    ^ 

By  the  weij^hts  above  stat<Hl,  of  the  chaldrons  of  coarse  and 
fine  coal  respeetively,  the  fbrnjcr  costs  $1  90.4,  and  the  latter 
83.1  cents  per  fan  oh  board. 

At  Sydney,  the  coarse  coal  alone  is  sent  to  market.  It  is 
put  on  hoarti  at  S3  00  for  the  small  qu-r.;ity,  or  single  cargo, 


and 


23 

h.tiA  at  «3  no  where  one  thousand  or  \ore  chaldrons  are  tflkctt 
by  a  ^fingle  cu.Hfomer  during  the  season.  As  this  coal  weighs 
l.M  tons  per  chaldron,  the  tun  costs  by  retail  82  37,  and  by 
wholesale  $a  10. 

X. — WbHHIT  or    A   rHALDRON    AT   PiCTOU    ANO   SyONBV. 

The  woi^'ht  of  a  chaldron,  Nova  Scotia  measure,  has  !)oen 
derived  from  sevcriil  independent  sources,  inelii(liii}<  dill'erent 
methods  ot'detcmiination.  Among  tlicm  are,  1st.  Tiie  nieas- 
urement  of  the  cars  in  which  the  coal  is  transported  to  the 
h>ading  ground,  and  the  weighing  of  given  hulks  of  the  coal 
in  diilcrent  states  and  sizes  of  lumps,  from  hot h  mining  dis- 
tricts ;  •,'(!.  Weighing  of  the  ear  loads,  hy  the  Ibruier  ag«-nt  of 
the  Pictou  mines;  '.i(\.  A  comparison  hctweenthe  weight  and 
number  of  chaldrons,  delivered  at  the  custom  houses,  and  the 
number  of  chaldrons  put  on  board  at  the  mines ;  4lh.  A  state- 
ment by  the  general  agent  of  the  mining  association,  of  the 
relation  in  pri<!e  between  a  rltaldrou  and  a  ton. 

1.  In  18t:j,  1  fouiul  by  actual  weighing,  in  a  box  containing 
two  cubic  feet,  that  the  averagf  weight  of  a  cubic  foot  in  the 
marketable  state  is  ow'.ON  pounds, ami  by  carefully  measuring 
the  ears  both  at  IMctou  and  .Sydney,  that  they  hold,  when 
heaped  to  the  height  of  live  inches  in  the  centre,  13n.<>t  cubic 
feet.*  This  gives  the  weight  of  one  chaldron  three  thousand 
five  hundred  and  lifty-eight  pounds. 

2.  In  18.'}i>,  .Joseph  Smith,  Esq.,  found  by  the  average  of 
twenty-four  trials  of  the  weight  of  a  car  load,  tliat  the  chal- 
dron weighed  three  t'\ousand  four  hundred  any  nincty-sevcn 
pounds. 

•  The  followinif  ski'iches  exhibit  the  form  nnd  diniensioiis  of  the  cars  on  a 
Bcale  of  one-quarter  of  nil  inch  to  the  foot,  toecther  with  the  amount  of  heapiiiii  by 
the  average  of  a  great  munber  of  observations.     They  are  called  two   chaldron 


care. 


Sections  of  car  bodies  ufed  at  Pictou  nnd  Sydney. 

LoKOlTUPINAL.  I'rANSVERSE. 


Ji.7/4 


Contents,  when  heaped  five  inches,  136.64  cubic  feet. 


M 


24 

q  In  1838  he  weighed  twenty  car  loads,  from  the  average 
of  wh  eh  the  weighl  of  a  ehahh-on  is  three  ihoasatul  our 
hL^red  and  sixty  pounds.     The  ears  weighed,  held  our  ehal- 

"^7  Cattain  Brouard,  of  the  l>ietou  and  lk)ston  Pneket,  tak- 
in^  on  boanl  ninety  ehaldrons  in  Pietou,  dehvers  one  hundred 
anVten  in  Wareham,  and,  as  in  the  latler  jdaee,  the  ehaUlnm 
we  Jhs  two  thousand  nine  hundred  and  lorty  pounds,  (as  in 
Sos'olt)  Tn  the  l\.rmer,  it  must  have  weighed  three  thousand 

n'risiC'^' Matilda's  cargo,  in  Pieton,  measured  one 
hnndrd  and  thirty-two  chaldrons  when  put  on  hoard,  and  one 
h  n  red  a  sixtj^one  were  delivered  in  Warcham,  showuig 
Seha'ckon,  in  Pietou,  to  have  weighed  three  thousand  six 

^"f  ^^l";lSuer^nard,Es,.st^  in  his  letl^c.  to  Lord 
Faull  and,  hereto  appended,  that  at  the  rate  oi  eighteen  shil- 
iin^  currency  per  AaUror,,  tlu«  cost  of  a  ton  ot  Pictou  coal 
would  lenne  shillings  and  six  i)(>nce  sterling,  or  the  weights 
Z^  t^'o  3.00,  which  makes  the  chaldron  weigh  three 
tlumsand  four  hundred  and  tifl  y-six  pounds. 

T^^e  above  six  independent  determinations  give  an  avernge 
weight  of  ^/"'ce  thousand pe  hundred  and  Uccnty^cght  pounds 

^^l^Kl^^^Xin  184..  Mr.  Joseph  Hall,  measurer  in 
the  Bo  ton  Custom  House,  measured  and  weighed  eight)  eai- 
aoes  o  Bictou  coal,  by  which  he  ascertained  that  the  aver- 
aS  weidit  of  a  chaldron,  in  Boston,  is  two  thous^nnl  mnc 
Z.^:hnd  forty  pounds;  and  that  Thc^jvs  T..nU.  t,  Ls^, 
of  Tnat  citv  who  deals  extensively  in  ^o^a  hcotia  coais, 
tlZ  Ti  memorandum  of  which  theloHowmg  .  a^opy. 
"  Pictou  coal  overruns  m  measure,  on  the  aNeiagc,  UMiiiy 
per  c^it.  so  that  one  hundred  chaldrons  at  Pictou,  w>l  meas- 
ure oil"  United  States  measure,  one  hundred  and  twenty  ehal- 

'^'Sm  these  two  statements  ^--^|ii"g,;>;^;^,;;f'f:-;^.;;:;;\.^ 

the  largest  scale,  we  have  the  proportion  WO-MHi)  ''^^■;^^^ 
giving  the  weight  of  th,.]>ictou  chaldron  precisely  ecpial  to 
the  average  of  the  six  preceding  calculations. 

Inl813  and  1844,  Mr.  Hall  measured,  at  Boston,  one  hun- 
dr  a^ul  tbrty-thre.  cargoes  of  Sydney  ecKil,  -nd  the  merin 
r^s  It  of  the  vvhole  gives  the  weight  of  a  Boston  chaldron  of 
tha  coal  two  thousand  eight  hundird  and  sixty-two  pound  . 
This  gives  the  weight  of  the  chaldron  at  Sydney  t^^rc  tlnn  - 
sand  four  hundred  and  thirty-lour  pounds  or  1.5J  tons.     iUi. 


m 


Smith  found  the  slack  coal  at  Pictou  to  weigh  three  thousand 
nine  hundred  and  thirty-five  pounds  per  chaldron. 

XI. — Use  to  which  the  Fcne  or  "  Slack"  Coal  is  applied. 

The  slack  coal  at  Pictou  is  readily  disposed  of  for  black- 
smiths' use  at  the  price  above  stated,  it  hews;  preferred  to  the 
coarse  coal  for  their  purposes.  A  ply  of  superior  purity  falls, 
in  great  part,  into  slack  in  mining,  and  this,  doubtless,  causes 
it  to  be  in  request.  Vessels  of  three  hundred  or  four  hun- 
dred tons  burden  were  receiving  cargoes  of  it  at  the  time  I 
left  Pictou.  As  I  have  computed  above,  that  the  total  cost 
of  mining  and  delivering  on  board  is  eighty-five  cents,  and 
as  the  rate  at  which  the  slack  is  sold  is  eighty-three  cents  per 
ton,  it  is  evident  that  this  part  of  the  product  of  the  mine 
nearly  pays  its  own  cost,  a  great  advantage,  when  compared 
with  many  mining  districts  where  it  is  either  wholly  wasted 
or  becomes  a  source  of  positive  expense.  Adding  thirty  per 
cent,  for  duty,  and  one  dollar  fifty-seven  cents  per  ton  freight 
to  Boston,  the  importer  there  gets  it  at  83.1+24.9+1.57==S2  65 
per  ton  delivered. 

At  Sydney  owc-ninth  part  of  all  the  coal  \vhich  goes  direct- 
ly from  the  pit  to  be  prepared  for  the  loading  ground,  is  as 
above  mentioned,  in  the  state  of  slack ;  and  also  two-ninths 
of  that  which  is  taken  from  the  bank.  In  passing  over  screens 
with  three-quarter  inch  gratings,  the  slack  is  about  equally 
divided  into  nut  co(/l  for  the  domestic  use  of  miners  and  others 
about  the  works,  and  dust,  which  being  received  in  a  separate 
car,  is  conveyed  to  the  "  duif  heap,'"  where  it  is  allowed  to 
take  fire  spontaneously.  This  it  does  in  the  space  of  a  few 
months,  and  in  the  course  of  eight  or  ten  years  becomes 
wholly  consumed.  The  duff"  heap  or  ridge  of  each  year  is 
kept  separate.  Those  of  18,38  and  '.39  were  pointed  out  to 
me  in  a  still  smouldering  condition;  but  the  small  amount  of 
ashes  left  from  the  heaps  entirely  extinct,  indicated  the  small 
quantity  of  earthy  impurity  {{ixe  or  five  and  a  half  per  cent) 
in  the  coal ;  while  the  deep  red  color  proved  the  presence  of 
no  inconsiderable  quantity  of  oxide  of  iron,  resulting  from 
the  decomposition  of  the  sulphuret  which  had  caused  its 
spontaneous  ignition.  Pirtou  coal  leaves  from  twelve  to 
ihirteen  per  cent,  of  earthy  residue. 

XII. — Freights  to  Boston  and  other  American  Ports. 

The  freight  on  a  Boston  chaldron,  weighing  as  above,  two 
thousand  nine  hundred  and  forty  pounds  is  stated  by  Mr. 


^  I 


2S 

Tremlett  at  82  75 ;  or  on  the  pro»^  ton  $2  09.5.  During  a 
part  of  the  present  season,  freights  have  been  taken  as  low  as 
$2  50  per  chaldron,  or  1  90.4  per  ton. 

From  S}/dnnf  to  Boston,  the  freights  arc  ver>'  nearly  the 
same  as  from  Pictou.  The  only  instances  particularly  ascer- 
tained were  at  the  former  rate,  or  $2  50  per  chaldron  of  two 
thousand  eight  hundred  an'!  sixty-two  pounds,  enual  to  $  1  95.7 

per  ton.  . 

Prom  Pictou  to  Promkncr  freights  have  varied  from  wi  9l\ 
to  ^3  00  per  chaldron  at  the  latter  place,  and  as  the  chaldron 
there  in  use  is  the  London  chaldron  of  twenty-five  and  a  half 
cwt.  or  two  thousand  eight  hundred  and  six  pounds,  the  freight 
per  gross  ton  is  $2  30.G;  showing  that  at  $2  75  to  Boston  and 
83  00  per  chaldron  to  Providence,  the  ton  costs  30.1  cents 
more  freight  to  the  latter  place  than  to  the  former. 

From  Pictou  to  New  York  also,  freights  iiave  been  about 
S3  00  per  chaldron ;  but  as  the  chaldron  there  weighs  but 
two  thousand  five  hundred  pounds,  the  gross  ton  costs  82  09, 
or  59|  cents  more  than  to  Boston,  and  20.4  cents  more  than 
to  Providence. 

XIII.— Difference  of  Fre«oiits  at  Bostov  between  Nova  Sco- 
tia AND  PniLADEIPaiA,  ANU  ITS  CAUSES. 

From  a  careful  examination  of  the  bill  uf  ladinj^  book  of  a 
respectable  commercial  house,  largely  engaged  in  the  shiji- 
ment  of  coal  from  Philadelphia  to  Boston  and  to  Providence, 
1  have  ascertained  that  the  average  of  freight  paid  for  two 
hundred  and  forty-five  cargoes  to  Boston,  during  the  seven 
years  from  1839  to  1845  inclusive,  was  at  the  rate  of  $1  74.8 
pel  gross  ton ;  and  that  on  two  hundred  and  eleven  cargoes 
sent  to  Providence,  they  paid  $\  45.3  per  ton,  showing  the 
difterence  between  those  two  places  to  be  twenty-nine  end  a 
half  cents  per  ton ;  which,  as  will  be  seen,  is  almost  identical 
with  the  dilFerence  in  the  Pictou  rates  for  the  two  places. 

From  another  house  extensively  engaged  in  exporting  coal 
from  this  city,  I  learn  that  they  paid,  in  1844,  $1  71 1,  and  in 
1845,  $1  79  per  ton,  freight  to  Boston,  or  !^1  75 1  as  the  mean 
of  the  two  years.     In  184.5,  they  paid  U  24  to  New  York. 

During  the  present  season,  freights  have  been  something 
lower  than  the  average  of  several  preceding  years,  haying 
varied  from  ^1  40  to  $2  18  per  ton.  But  as  the  close  of  the 
season  generally  finds  them  considerably  above  the  average 
of  the  year,  the  final  average  may  still  approximate  those 


I 


above  given.    Hence  we  may  institute  for  the  above  three 
ports,  the  following  comparison,  viz,  per  ton : 

To  Boston.    To  Providence.    To  New  York. 
Freight  from  Plcton  is        $2  00.5         $2  39.«        82  09 
"        from  Pliiladelphia     1  75  1  45.3  1  34 


Diflerences  34j  04.3         81  45 

The  first  and  most  obvious  reason  for  the  clifTerence  of 
freight  between  Boston  and  Philadelphia,  and  Boston  and 
Pictou,  is  the  greater  distance  of  the  two  latter  places.  The 
distances  are  nearly  in  the  ratio  of  thirty-eight  to  twenty- 
eight,  or  in  miles  as  six  hundred  and  twenty-five  to  four 
hundred  and  eighty-seven. 

The  second  cause  is  mainly  but  not  altogether  dependent 
on  the  first.  It  is  the  greater  length  of  time  required  to  make 
the  round  trip,  in  the  one  case,  than  in  the  other.  Thus,  from 
Pictou  to  Boston  and  back,  trips  have  been  made  by  four  ves- 
sels, viz :  the  Grey  Hound,  the  Pique,  the  Brothers,  and  the 
Elizabeth,  of  which  the  average  duration  was  thirty-nine 
days. 

From  the  records  of  one  of  our  large  eoal  companies,  I  find 
that  twenty-four  round  trips,  between  Philadelphia  and  Boston, 
occupied  in  all  seven  hundred  and  eight  days,  or  twenty-nine 
and  a  half  days  each  trip.  These  were  made  by  eleven  differ- 
ent vessels. 

In  the  months  of  July,  August,  and  September,  of  the  pre- 
sent year,  twenty-five  single  passages  were  made  by  different 
vessels  from  Piciou  to  Boston  in  three  hundred  and  seventy- 
one  days,  or,  on  an  average,  each  prt.ssa^e  took  14.7  days. 

EigKt  f'ays  are  probably  a  full  average  allowance  of  time 
to  come  from  Boston  to  Philadelphia  during  the  same  season 
of  the  year. 

By  vessels  exclusively  engaged  in  the  coal  trade,  the  above 
time  of  twenty-nine  and  a  half  days  is  more  than  an  average 
duration  of  a  round  trip  from  Philadelphia  to  Boston.  Dur- 
ing the  favorable  season,  trips  are  often  made  in  from  twenty 
to  twenty-six  days.  Should  steam  propellers  be  employed  as 
colliers,  the  absolute,  but  I  apprehend  not  the  relative  dura- 
tion of  trips,  will  be  affected  by  their  general  adoption. 

The  third  cause  why  freights  are  higher  at  Pictou  than  at 
Philadelphia  is  the  shorter  season  for  shipping.  While  six 
months,  at  Pictou,  are  all  that  can  be  safely  counted  on,  from 
eight  to  eight  and  a  half  months  may  be  generally  found 
available  at  Philadelphia. 


I 


28 

A  fourth  cause  is,  that  while  Pictou  has  but  little  trade  ex- 
cept  in  coal,  Philadelphia  has  an  extensive  commerce  in  ofher 
articles  rendering  vessels  often  very  abundant.  Thus,  while 
vessels  habitually  engaged  in  the  West  hidia  trade  are  with- 
drawn, during  the  hurricane  season,  from  the  tropical  seas, 
instead  of  remaining,  as  in  former  times,  idle  at  our  wharves, 
they  take  coal  freights  to  the  North  and  return  in  time  to  re- 
sume their  usual  routes  as  soon  as  the  dangerous  period  is 
past.  Vessels  which  bring  return  freights,  doubtless  make 
longer  trips  than  if  they  came  in  ballast,  and  were  confined 
to  the  coal  trade.  But  they  can  alibrd  t  (.  take  coal  freights  at 
lower  rates  than  would  otherwise  be  obtained  for  them. 

A  fifth  reason,  but  one  which  is  connected  with  the  duration 
of  the  round  trip,  is  the  fact  that,  under  existing  arrangements^ 
considerable  detention  is  liable  to  occur  at  Pictou  during 
the  active  season,  owing  to  a  want  of  facilities  for  despatch- 
ing vessels,  especially  those  of  the  larger  class.  Only  seven 
vessels,  of  all  classes,  can  there  be  loading  at  the  same  time ; 
and  of  that  number,  only  two  can  be  of  the  larger  size.  Five 
of  the  berths  have  a  depth  of  water  sufficient  only  for  the 
smaller  craft.    At  Sydney  only  three  vessels  can  load  at  a 

time,  .         ,  ,     T  fr.    1 

At  Richmond,  above  this  city,  I  am  mformed  by  J.  Tucker, 

Esq.,  President  of  the  Reading  Railroad  Company,  that  it  is 

possible  for  seventy-five  vessels  to  be  loaded  at  the  same  time, 

though  a  much  less  number  is  generally  found  at  the  berths. 

When  twenty-five  or  thirty  vessels  are  at  Pictou  together, 
the  detention,  after  they  announce  themselves  "rf «</*/,"  and 
before  they  are  admitted  to  the  berths,  is  sometimes  eight  or 
ten  days,  while  at  Philadelphia  it  seldom  exceeds  half  that 
time.  It  is  true  that,  as  there  are  at  Pictou  but  two  kinds  of 
coaX,*"  coarse''  and"*Z«cA,"  there  is  not  the  detention  at  the 
shutes,  which  results  from  a  vessel's  waiting  at  the  Richmond 
wharves  till  a  sufficient  quantity  of  the  particular  kind  of 
coal  which  she  has  been  ordered  to  take  on  board,  can  arrive 
by  railroad  to  the  particular  house  to  which  she  may  have 
been  consigned.  I  may  here  add  that,  between  the  first  and 
the  twelfth  of  August  last,  eight  passages  from  Stfdjfcy  to 
Boston  took  an  average  of  thirteen  days,  and  that  five  pas- 
sages from  Pictou,  in  the  same  period,  took  exactly  the  same 
number  of  days  each. 

From  Pictou  to  Fall  River,  I  may  also  state  that,  commenc- 
ing with  the  first  of  June  last,  the  bark  E.  Churchill  ma<le 
three  round  trips  in  one  hundred  and  eleven  days,  or  took 
thirty-seven  days  per  trip.    Captain  Jones,  of  the  Bark  Lu- 


I 


cretia,  who  has  been  three  years  in  the  coal  trade  between 
Pictou  and  Proridfnce^  ^♦ated  to  me  that  he  had  been  able  to 
make  no  more  than  four  trips  during  the  season  of  six  months, 
in  which  the  navigation  ntjmains  practicable  and  safe.  Five 
and  a  half  or  six  weeks  may  be  sufficient  time  for  a  trip,  but 
a  fi^fth  trip  cannot  be  ventured  upon  at  so  late  a  season  as 
would  have  arrived  after  completing  the /our. 

XIV. — ^Number  and  Class  of  Vessiskls  emi'loyed  in  the  Coal 

TRAOP.. 

To  the  obliging  attention  of  Luther  Bracket,  Esq.,  Ameri- 
car  Consul  at  Pictou,  I  am  indebted  for  some  interesting  facts 
relative  to  the  American  tonnage  employed  in  the  Pictou 
trade,  and  to  the  increase  in  number  and  size  of  vessels  dur- 
ing the  present  season,  (IStfi.)    . 

The  first  arrival  of  American  vessels  for  coal,  in  1816,  was 
on  the  twenty-first  of  May.  From  that  time  the  arrivals 
were  as  follows,  viz  : 

In  the  motith  of  May,  nine ;  June,  thirteen ;  July,  thirty- 
nine  ;  August,  fifty-seven ;  to  sixteenth  of  September,  twen- 
ty-three— Total  in  a  hundred  and  nineteen  days,  one  hun- 
dred and  forty  one.  Of  this  number,  two  were  ships  ;  sixteen 
harks;  eighty-one  brigs;  forty-two  schooners,  one  hundred 
and  forty  one. 

In  the  early  part  of  August  there  arrived  at  Boston  eleven 
vessels,  mostly  British,  laden  with  coal,  bringing  an  aggre- 
gate of  seven  hundred  and  ninety-seven  chaldrons,  or  an 
average  of  seventy-two  chaldrons  per  cargo.  Between  July 
twenty-seventh  and  August  twelvtn,  twenty-seven  vessels  of 
the  United  States,  received  an  aggregate  of  four  thousand  and 
one  chaldrons,  Pictou  measure,  or  one  hundred  and  forty-eight 
chaldrons  each.  Between  August  twelfth  and  twenty-ninth, 
twenty-seven  vessels  received  in  all  five  thousand  two  hun- 
dred and  forty-six  chaldrons,  or  one  hundred  and  fifty-seven 
chaldrons  per  cargo.  Between  August  twenty-ninth  and 
September  twelfth,  twenty-three  vessels  took  three  thousand 
seven  hundred  and  eleven  chaldrons,  being  one  hundred  and 
sixty-one  chaldrons  per  cargo.  Not  included  in  the  preceding 
number  of  vessels,  there  had  arrived  previous  to  September  six- 
teenth, one  ship  with  a  tonnage  of  three  hundred  and  twenty- 
one;  six  barks  averaging  three  hundred  and  seventeen  tons;  and 
four  brigs  of  one  hundred  and  seventy-four  tons  each.  Sev- 
eral of  these  had  come  directly  from  Europe,  in  ballast,  where 
they  had  been  chartered,  as  was  understood,  by  the  Associa- 


li: 


tion,  to  carry  coal  to  the  United  States,  with  a  view  of  being 
stored  under  the  recent  Warehousing  act. 

Hence  it  appears  that,  with  the  increased  briskness  of  the 
trade,  observed  since  the  act  to  repeal  the  existing  tariff  was 
passed,  the  size  of  vessels  employed  in  it  has  been  progres- 
sively and  pretty  rapidly  increasing. 

The  number  of  cargoes  of  coal  exported  from  Pictou  in 
American  bottoms,  for  a  number  of  years  past,  as  furnished 
by  the  authentic  records  of  the  American  Consulate  at  that 
place,  has  been  as  follows : 

In  1839,  237  cargoes.  In  1843,   71  cargoes.. 

1840,  107     "  1844,    53    " 

1841,  190    "  to  September  1,  1845,    44*  " 

1842,  140    "  and  to  August  25,  1840,  110    " 

XV. — Importation  of  Nova  Scotia  and  other  Coals  into  the 

United  States. 

With  a  view  to  present  authentic  information  as  to  the  ex- 
tent and  value  of  the  coal  trade  of  the  Britisli  Provinces  with 
this  country,  both  absolutely,  and  as  compared  with  the  trade 
in  the  same  article  from  other  parts  of  the  world,  the  follow- 
ing statements  have,  at  my  request,  been  obligingly  furnished 
by  the  Register  of  the  Treasury. 

It  a})pears  from  the  figures,  that,  in  1848,  out  of  one  hundred 
and  ninety-six  thousand  two  hundred  and  lifty  tons  of  coal 
imported,  one  hiuidred  and  fifty-three  thousand  one  hundred 
and  twenty.two  tons,  or  seventy-eight  per  cent,  came  from  the 
British  North  American  Provinces,  at  a  cost  of  $312,295. 

It  also  appears  that,  since  1843,  the  importations  of  coal,  from 
all  quarters,  have  increased  from  forty-one  thousand  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty-three  to  one  hundred  and  ninety-six  thousand 
two  hundred  and  fifty-one  tons,  or  the  increase  is  three  hundred 
and  seventy-six  per  cent,  over  the  former  quantity ;  while  from 
the  British  North  American  Provinces  alone,  the  augmentation 
has  been  from  thirteen  thousand  one  hundred  and  sighty-five 
tons,  in  1843,  to  one  hundred  ond  fifty-three  thousand  one  hun- 
dredand  twenty-two  in  1848,  or  the  increase  is  one  thousand  and 
sixty-one,  or  say  one  thousand  and  sixty-one  pr  cent.  The  modi- 
fication of  the  American  tariff,  in  1840,  the  releaseof  the  Mining 
Association,  as  above  stated,  from  all  but  a  nominal  rent  for 
Crown  dues,  the  passage  of  our  Warehousing  act,  which  enables 

•  The  records  of  the  Inst  part  of  this  year  were  carried  to  Washington  by  tb  e 
late  Consul,  where  he  died,  and  that  portion  of  the  account  is,  therefore,  wanting* 
There  is,  no  doubt,  a  great  increase  tit  the  trade  this  year,  over  the  last. 


81 

the  importers  to  store  their  coal  and  await  favorable  turns  of 
the  market  for  bringing  it  forward,  together  with  the  favorable 
action  of  the  Britisli  Government,  in  granting  a  favorable 
charter  of  incorporation  to  the  Association,  and  using  its  in- 
fluence to  settle  all  controversies  between  it  and  other  claim- 
ants to  the  Cape  Breton  Mines — all  these  acts  concurrently 
performed  on  the  two  sides  of  the  Atlantic,  have  evidently 
given  a  vitality  and  energy  to  the  mining  operations  in  Nova 
Scotia,  which,  without  such  a  combination  of  favoring  cir- 
cumstances, they  could  scarcely  have  expected  to  attain. 

Statement,  exhibiting  the  quantity  and  value  of  Coal  imported 
under  the  tariff  of  1842  and  1840,  together  with  the  amount 
of  duty  which  accrued  on  the  same,  prepared  under  resolu- 
tion of  the  House  of  Representatives^  of  the  lAth  December, 
1848. 


Period  of  iaportation. 


From  1st  Oct.  1842,  to30th  June,'43 
Year  ending  30th  June,  1844 
Year  ending  30th  June,  1845 
Year  ending  30th  June,  1846 
From  July  1,  to  30th  Nov.  1846 
From  Dec.  1,  1846,  to  June  30,  1847 
Year  ending  30th  June,  1S48 


Coal  Impobtbd. 


Tons. 


41,163 

87,073 
85,774 

156,853 
65,272 
82,749 

196,251 


Value. 


116,312 
236,963 
223,919 
378,597 
157,636 
213,349 
461,140 


Rate  of  duty. 


Duties. 


I  75  per  ton  $72,035  25 
••  152,377  75 

"  150,108  00 

«*  274,492  78 

««  114,220  00 

l30  per  cent.!  64,004  70 
«  1 1 38,342  00 


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38 


XVI. — ^Facilities  eor  incrba(<ino  Mining  Ohebations. 

It  is  prohnble  that,  by  increasiniEr  the  force  at  prest^nt  em- 
ployed, the  Victon  mines  might  send  out  about  Htty  per  cent, 
more  coal  than  is  at  present  mined  per  day.  I  observed  that 
one  of  the  four  vindinj?  pits  was  used  only  to  convey  persons 
to  and  from  the  worlvs,  though  crapable  of  being  employed  in 
the  same  manner  as  the  other  three.  This  pit  is  intended  to 
serve  tlic  upper  tier  of  boanfs,  which  are  as  yet  carried  right 
and  left  to  a  considerably  h^ss  distance  than  those  in  the  deep- 
er part  of  the  mine.  It  was,  doubtless,  sound  policy  to  work 
the  lower  boards  forward  faster  than  the  u])per,  on  account 
of  the  greater  facility  which  this  arrangement  gives  forget- 
ting rid  of  the  fire  damp,  so  abundant  in  that  part  of  the 
works,  and  because  it  holds  in  reserve  a  large  body  of  coal 
which  can  at  any  time  be  relied  upon  to  meet  an  increased  de- 
mand. It  also  stands,  in  some  degree,  in  the  place  of  a  stock 
of  coal  upon  the  bank,  to  hold  in  check  any  unreasonable  de- 
mand on  the  part  of  laborers,  as  it  might,  if  necessary,  be  let 
out  and  mined  by  contract  at  very  reasonable  rates.  Should 
any  accident  occur  to  the  pumps,  or  any  unusual  influx  of 
water  take  place,  the  temporary  abandonment  of  the  lowest 
level  would  not,  necessarily,  suspend  mining  operations  in  the 
upper  hoard 

iJesides  fil'ing  all  the  boards,  it  would  be  possible  to  work 
with  two  turns  of  hands,  and  greatly  to  increase  the  quantity 
of  coal  extracted ;  but,  as  a  permanent  arrangement,  this 
would,  doubtless,  be  objectionable,  and  would  involve  imme- 
diately considerable  permanent  outlays  for  accommodations 
to  miners. 

A  proof  tunnel  has  been  driven  nine  hundred  and  thirty 
feet  across  the  Albion  measures,  cutting  several  underlying 
seams,  thinner  than  the  one  now  worked.  Some  of  these,  from 
three  and  a  half  to  seven  feet  thick,  may  be  found  profitable 
in  working.  I  did  not  learn  that  any  active  operation  on  these 
beds  is  at  present  contemplated.  I  suppose  the  present  works 
may,  if  urged,  send  forth  ninety  thousand  chaldrons,  or  one 
hundred  and  thirty-irvs  thousand  tons  next  year.  Uailroad 
and  loading  facilities  must  be  considerably  increased  to  get 
this  quantity  on  board  in  six  months  of  the  shipping  season. 

The  Sydney  mines,  worked  l:y  the  present  pit,  could  proba- 
bly furnish  sixty  or  seventy  thousand  chaldrons,  if  in  using 
the  winding  pit,  recourse  be  had  to  two  cages  on  each  rope 
instead  of  one,  for  which  I  perceived  provision  was  being 
made  at  the  time  of  my  visit.    The  new  pit  at  Sydney,  just 


34 

commenced  on  the  untlcrlyinff  bed  ahove-menticmrd,  may 
proh.ibly  not  send  to  m.irlict  a  Inr^c  cju.'intity  of  c«a>  during 
the  next  season,  hut  will  he  ready  to  su})[)ly,  perhaps,  Jwenty 
thousand  chahlrons  witliin  two  years  I'rom  this  time.  Tho 
operations  at  Bridjy;eport,  and  at  Litth^  IJras  d'Or,  ni»y  he 
resumed  at  any  time  when  the  prospcet  of  a  sulFicient  inar- 
ket  in  t!ie  United  States  shall  seem  to  warrant  t!»e  cnhirgc* 
ment  of  a  supply  from  that  quarter. 

The  examinations  in  progress  on  tlie  Bay  of  Fundy  will 
probably  lead  durinj?  the  next  year  to  (lie  openin};  of  mines 
of  capacity  to  furnish  annually  twenty  thousand  chaldrons  of 
coal. 

The  much  larj»er  expenditure  which  would  be  required  to 
ht'mf;  the  more  important  Spriniy:  Hill  scam  into  activity,  will 
doubtless  induce  the  Association  to  proceed  with  due  delii>era- 
tion  In  that  quarter,  as  all  their  hopes  of  a  market  depend 
on  retaining?  and  improvinj^  their  present  advantajijes  and 
facilities  for  competing  with  American  coals  in  the  markets 
of  the  United  States.  Even  the  neighboring  province  of  New 
Brunswick,  situated  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  Bay,  would 
not  become  to  any  considerable  extent  a  customer  of  the 
Mining  Association  of  Nova  Scotia,  both  because  that  pro- 
vince has  mines  of  its  own,  and  because  its  immense  timber 
trade  brings  annually  to  St.  John  a  vast  number  of  vesseU 
from  England  in  hdlhist.  As  this  costs  from  twenty.fivc  to 
fifty  cents  per  ton,  besides  the  expense  of  taking  in  and  dis- 
charging, it  will,  as  often  as  possible,  be  subst  it  uted  by  English 
coal,  provided  the  latter  can  be  sold  in  St.  John  at  a  trilling 
advance  on  the  price  and  export  duty  at  Liverpool.  If  a 
certainty  of  obtaining  immediately  a  market  for  (ii'ty  thousand 
chaldrons  per  annum  were  felt  by  the  Association,  I  learned 
that  they  would  proceed  at  once  with  works  on  the  Spring 
Hill  seam. 

XVII. — Nova  Scotia  Coals  compared  \vitii  Anthracite. 

During  my  experiments  at  Washington  in  1813, 1  made  trial 
of  two  samples  of  Pictou,  one  of  Sydney  coals,  and  eight  of 
Pennsylvania  anthracites,  Pictou  coal  was  burned  tor  six 
days,  during  which  were  consumed  6,116^  pounds,  evaporat- 
ing 40,212  pounds  of  water  from  initial  temperature,  which,  be- 
ing reduced  to  the  standard  temperature  of  212°,  gave  8.455 
pounds  of  water  evaporated  by  one  pound  of  coal. 

Of  Sydney  coal,  I  burned  in  two  days  1,001^  pounds,  evapor- 
ating from  initial  temperature  11,323  pounds  of  water,  which, 


t 


r 

( 


85 

being  reducrri  in  like  manner  to  312%  gives  7.99  parls  of  wa- 
ter evaporatrd  liy  one  of  coal.* 

The  burning  of  eijj;ht  samptrsof  anthrarite  occupiwl  thirty- 
one  dnys  during  which  :U,r>lHj  poimds  w<*re  consumed,  and 
STtt.O?^**  pounds  of  water  eva  porn  ted,  yjiving,  whvn  roduoed 
to  standard  temperature, an  avera^rc  of  IKiirif*  pounds  ol  water 
to  one  of  coal.  Hence,  makiny:  anthracite  the  stjuidard,  we 
have  the  relative  cllieienccs  as  follows: 

Anthracite,      -.-----     100 
Pictou  coal,      -------      H8.4 

Sydney  " 83.4 

I  have  seen  a  published  statement  to  the  eflect  that  a  sugar 
refiner  had,  in  IH  t.%  made  trials  of  Lehigli,  Bearer  Meadow, 
and  Lackawanna  anthracite,  obtaining  a  mean  of  9.11)  pounds 
of  water  evaporated  by  one  pound  of  anthracite ;  and  also  of 
Pictouand  Sydney  coals,  obtaining  only  1.47  pounds  of  steam 
for  one  of  those  coals.  I  hesitate  not  to  say  that  this  latter 
number  is  wholly  unworthy  of  reliance.  I  have  been  informed 
that  the  trial  referred  to  was  made  with  the  bituminous  coals 
under  a  simple  cylindrical  boiler  without  return  Hues,  or  any 
means  of  economizing  thr  heat,  while  the  anthracites  were 
burned  under  an  improved  boiler  of  the  best  construction.  If 
this  was  really  the  unfair  mode  of  treating  the  two  kinds  of 
fuel,  it  is  easy  to  account  for  the  difTcrcnce,  but  it  will  not  be 
easy  to  persuade  any  one  who  understands  the  subject,  to  rely 
on  the  results  thus  obtained  as  any  standards  of  comparison.f 
No  one,  I  presume,  would  pretend  that  less  steam  >yould  be 
obtp"  led  by  Pictoucoal  than  by  an  equal  weight  ofpinc  uood. 
An.-  yet  by  a  very  careful  experiment,  I  ev.aporated  4.09 
poumfs  of  water,  from  212%  by  the  consumption  of  one  pound 
of  that  material. 

Assuming  the  correctness  of  the  data  above  given,  it  will  be 
easy  to  institute  comparisons  of  value,  and  to  determine  what 
ought  to  be  the  price  of  the  one  when  that  of  the  other  is 
given.  _ 

•From  f'xaniining  th«  coal  in  all  parts  of  the  Sydney  seam  noic  worked.  I  am 
fully  smisfieil  thai  the  sample  sent  to  Washington  in  1843,  of  which  specimens  still 
remain  in  my  possession,  was  not  taken  from  that  bed.  Its  foliated  structure,  firm 
texture,  and  Utile  liability  to  fall  into  alack,  ally  it  much  more  nearly  to  the  splenl 
and  cannel  coals.  From  satnples  which  I  have  seen  and  used  from  Bridgeport,  I  air, 
disposed  to  think  it  came  from  that  place,  and  not  from  the  Sydney  colliery. 

tNoTE.  Feb,  <$,  1847.  I  have  this  day  been  again  informed,  by  a  gentleman  of 
Boston,  that  the  experiments  were  in  fiict  made  in  the  manner  I  have  indicated, by 
the  sugar  refiner  in  question.  Yet  these  resulta  have  been  paraded  in  the  newppa- 
pera  of  Philadelphia  as  data  for  computing  the  relative  value  of  coala! 


36 

Thus  at  $3  per  chaUiron  in  Pictou,  the  price  of  one  grojiis 
ton  is       -.-.....   )5i  jM).4 

At  :i()  per  cent,  the  rfiitif  is 57 

And  at  $'Z  75  per  chaldron,  the /rc/]if/i/  on  one  ton 
will  be    -        -        - 2  09.5 


^  4  5(i.9 

Or  say  $t  Ti^  II,-nce  84  57  X  ';jl.,=8ri  17  outjht  to  be  the 
contemporaneous  price  of  a  ton  ol"  anf  hraeite.  Hut  as  at  Bos- 
ton the  Pietou  coal  is  sold  not  by  the  j^ross  ton,  but  by  the 
chaldron  of  '2,!)  10  pounds,  while  antliraeite  is  sold  by  the  ton 
ofiijOOO  pounds,  it  is  proper,  in  order  to  decide  in  cases  which 
have  occurred  and  been  referred  to  in  the  prices  current  of 
the  day,  to  compare  together  the  relative  values  of  these  two 
quantities.  The  comparison  shows  that  at  -SI  57  per  ton, 
Pietou  coal  is  S<J  00  j)er  chaldron;  the  p-oss  ton  of  anthracite 
$5  17;  and  the  ton  of  ;>,000  pounds  ought  to  command  at  the 
same  rate  $i  (51.G. 

Should  anthracite  be  put  on  board  at  Philadelphia  at  S3  00 
per  ^n OSS  ion,  and  pay  81  75  per  ton  frei<>:ht,  the  ton  of  2,000 
pounds  would  cost  in  Boston  84  2t.  The  value  of  i>,000 
pounds  of  Pietou  coal  would  tfirn  be  roT'X'^l  i.>4=83  75, 
and  a  chaldron  of  2,040  pounds  would  at  th(;  same  rate  cost 
83  75X 1 3 1  ^=85  51 1.  From  this  number,  if  we  take  82  75, 
the  price  of  freight  on  the  Boston  chaldron,  from  Pietou.  there 
is  left  82  70^  to  cover  the  n>st  and  ditfi/.  The  latter  being 
supposed  thirty  per  cent.,  the  former  will  be  82  11,  at  which 
rate  the  Pietou  chaldron  would  cost  82  IIX  2aio=82  53.2  or 
about  forty-seven  cents  per  chaldron  less  tlian  the  present 
selling  rates. 

Again,  as  we  have  seen  that  at  the  present  selling  price  in 
Pietou,  anthracite  is  worth  85  17  per  gross  ton  in  Boston,  de- 
ducting freight,  81  75,  it  is  worth  83  42  on  board,  in  Phila- 
delphia. 

An  impression  appears  to  have  prevailed,  that  in  our  Eastern 
cities,  Nova  Scotia  coal  has  borne  a  price  higher  than  its  rela- 
tive  value  would  warrant.  The  above  method  of  determina- 
tion will  prove  whether  the  supposition  be  correct.  Thus  the 
Boston  Courier  of  September  21,  1840,  gives  the  price  of 
Pietou  coal  per  chaldron,  new  duty,  -    85  75  a  t»  00 

Schuylkill,  white  ash,  per  ton,  -        -      5  75  a  G  00 

Schuylkill,  red  ash,  "     .         .         -      g  00  a  0  25 

Making  the  average  for  anthracite  86  00  per  ton  of  2.000  lbs. 
Do.  for  Pietou         5  87|  per chal.of 2,940  lbs. 


87 

As  the  2.000  ponruls  anthracite  arc  eciiml  in  hratitifr  power 
to  'X^,X'^,000=="J;J(>0  pounds  of  Pictoii  coal,  the  prior  of 
2,000  poiuuls  of  anthracite  oii^ht  to  have  been  to  that  of  a 
chaldron  of  I'ictou  coal  as  2,'J(50  to  2,9  K),  or  as  8  1  W  to  ^r*  87.J. 
This  proves  ihut  the  Nova  Scotia  coal  was  sold  much  lower 
than  the  anthracite,  ihe  latter  being  81  IN  above  its  relative 
value.*     Nova  Scotia  then  nmhrsohl  Philadelphia. 

Again:  The  New  York  Shipping  and  Coinniercial  List  of 
of  September  10  (piotes  Pictou  and  Sydney  at  SO  00  to  80  50 
per  chaldron,  and  anthracite  85  00  to  8(5  00  per  2,000  i)ounds. 

The  average  superiority  of  anthracite  over  PIc/ou  oiuJ  Si/d- 
nei/  coals  is  sucli  that  2,000  pounds  of  the  tbrmer  (-([ual  2,32H  of 
the  latter  in  mixiure;  and  as  2,r)00  make  a  chnldron  at  New 
Yurh;  therefore  2,500  :  2,32H  :  :  0.25  :  5.S2-=the  relative  value 
of  the  ton  of  anthracite.  As  it  was  actually  selling  at  from 
"five  to  six  dollars"  the  calculation  shows  that  its  relative 
value  was  much  nearer  to  the  highest  than  to  the  lowest 
quoted  rate. 

As  Pictou  coal  has  been  sold  this  season  at  83  00  per  chal- 
dron of  3,52S  pounds,  one  ton  costs  81  90.1.  The  pirxrnt  duty 
is  81  75  per  ton.  In  December  next  it  will  be  fifty-seven 
cents  per  ton.  The  difiercnce  is  81  18  per  ton,  and  81  55  per 
Boston  chaldron.f 

I  cannot  omit  here  to  call  attention  to  the  great  misappre 
hensions  which  must  inevitably  exist  in  the  public  mind  in  re- 
gard to  the  true  values  of  coals,  so  long  as  they  continue  to 
be  bought  and  sold  by  incdsnrc.  This  evil  would  still  be  felt 
even  were  the  bushel  or  the  chaldron  everywhere  the  snmc,^ 
inasmuch  as  coals  vary  so  widely  in  the  weight  and  value  of 
a  given  bulk,  according  to  the  sizes  of  lumps  and  to  the  spe- 
cific gravity  of  the  mineral.  But  the  confusion  becomes  much 
greater  when  the  standard  of  measure  itself  varies  from  place 
to  place,  and  when  even  in  the  same  place  coal  is  bought  and 
mined  by  one  measure,  and  sold  by  another,  as  in  Nova  Scotia  ; 
when,  for  example,  we  have  the  New  Castle  chaldron  of  53  cwt. 
or  5,030  pounds,  the  Nova  Scotia  chaldron,  as  above  proved,  of 

»It  \s  posnhle  that  the  Courier's  (juotation  referred  to  the  price  on  board  of  the 
Philadelphia  ton  of  nnthracite,  in  which  ease  the  calculalioii  would  be  100-88.4X 
2.'-24()=2,r)34  and  2,'.)  tO  :  2,534  :  :  o.HTi  :  5.()(i,whieh  shows  that  even  under  that 
supposition,  the  ruUng  price  of  $G  UO  for  anthracite,  was  ninety-four  cents  higher 
than  its  relative  economical  value. 

tA  Boston  Prices  Current  of  November  4,  quotes  Pictou  and  Sydney  coals  ("du- 
ty 81  75  per  ton")  at  $7  a  8"  25.  Anthracite,  per  "ton,"  86  *J0.  «""  'o""  ''""a''* 
per  2,«U0  pounds,  8<J  ^^-  'I'his  proves  that  the  cargo  price  of  anthracite  was  four- 
teen  cents  per  ton  too  low,  and  the  retail  i)nce  81  U3  too  high,  as  compared  with 
the  average  price  of  87  l2i  per  chaldron  for  Nova  Scotia  coal. 


' 


I 


38 


I 


3,528  poiintls ;  the  so  called  "  New  Castle"  chaldron  of  Nova  Sco- 
tia,  double  of  the  preceding,  and  forming  one  car-load  of  7,05(5 
pounds;  the  London  chaldron  by  act  of  Parliament  2')h  cut. 
or  2,8()()  pounds ;  the  iioston  chaldron,  (by  custom-house"i)rac- 
tice,)  of  twelve  tubs  containing  eacli  four  even  bushels,  and 
weighing  as  above  shown  2,0 10  jjounds  of  Firfou,  and  2,S(]2 
pounds  of  Si/(fnei/  coal;  the  New  York  chaldron  of  2,500 
pounds;  and  finally  the  Providence  and  Philadelphia  chal- 
drons, containing  twelve  tubs  of  three  hropnl  bushels  each, 
and  weighing,  (as  it  happens,)  of  Pictou  coal,  almost  exactly 
the  same  as  the  statute  London  chaldron,  or  2,805  pounds. 

I  see  no  probability  that  this  confusion  will  cease  until 
manufacturers,  navigators,  domestic  and  other  consumers,  as 
well  as  mine  owners,  transporters,  and  dealers  in  coal,  shall 
come  to  an  understanding  and  determination  to  buy  and  sell 
coal  solely  by  weight. 

As  the  ton  of  2,000  pounds  has  been  almost  universally 
adopted  in  the  retail  coal  markets;  as  the  State  of  Pennsylvania 
has  abandoned  the  ancient  denominations  of /o?w,  hundred 
iccights,  ^-c,  and  charge-  tolls  on  her  public  works  solely  by 
the  thousand  pounds  ;  and,  as  when  transported  about  a'city, 
two  thousand  pounds  form  a  more  suitable  load  than  the 
gross  ton,  I  can  conceive  no  adequate  reason  why  this  weight 
should  not  supersede  both  the  old  gross  ton  and  the  multitudi- 
nous chaldrons  above  relerred  to.  It  is  apj)licable  to  ales 
from  the  mines  as  well  as  to  those  from  the  coal-yard,  and 
to  governmental  as  well  as  to  individual  purposes. 

XVIIJ. ABSOLUTE    AND    VARIABLE    DeNSITY    OF    PrCTOU    CoAL. 

As  the  organic  matter  in  bituminous  coal  is,  in  general,  a 
less  dense  material  than  the  inorganic  or  mineral  substances, 
such  as  silex,  alumina,  oxide  of  iron,  lime,  &c.,  which  consti- 
tute Its  earthy  portions,  and  which  appear  as  its  ashes  after 
combustion— the  less  amount  of  these  latter  materials  there 
are  in  a  specimen  of  coal,  from  a  given  coal  seam,  the  less  may 
we  expect  to  find  the  relative  weight  or  specific  gravity  of  the 
coal;  and  by  converse  reasoning,  the  greater  is  the\lensity 
ot  a  specimen,  the  greater  amount  of  impurity  may  we  expect 
to  find  in  it.  i        j       :  i 

This  principle  will,  with  some  modifications,  apply  to  the 
coals  of  different  coal  districts,  but  is  not  to  be  implicitly  re- 
lied upon  to  indicate  the  amount  of  combustible  matter  in 
coals  from  remote  localities,  since  it  is  well  known  that  in  such 
cases  the  composition  of  the  organic  part  of  the  coal,  as  well  as 
the  nature  and  amount  of  its  wme/ a/ impurities,  is  liable  to  vary. 


I 


39 

The  mfiin  coal  senm  at  Pictou  is  nearly  thirty-five  foct  in 
thickness,  but  only  about  twelve  feet  near  the  upper  part  are 
rejjarded  as  protltal)le  for  present  workinf^.  In  order  to  ob- 
tain a  correct  section,  and  to  determine  approximately  the 
values  of  the  subordinate  divisions,  a  cut  was  some  time  since 
formed  diametrically  across  the  whole  seam,  the  thickness  of 
each  ply  carefully  noted,  and  the  specific  gravity  of  the  ma- 
terials ascertained  both  by  i\Ir.  Poole  and  the  writer.  The 
plies  are  nuud)ercd  from  above  downwards.  The  cut  was 
made  about  the  middle  of  the  mine,  between  the  upper  and 
lower  '*  boards." 

Section  of  the  maim  Coal  Bajjd,  Albion  Mines. 


I 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

i:i 

14 

If) 

IG 
17 
18 
19 
20 
X 


Description  of  Material  Cut. 


Roof  Coal 

Full  Co  il,  mined 

Holing  Stniie,  i\o    

Top  Bciirh  Coal,  do.... 
Stone,  not  regular,  do. 
Hotlom  Bench  Coal,  do. 

14  feet  Stone  Parting... 

15  t't'ct  Coal 

Iron  Stone,  not  regular. 

17  feet  Coal 

13at  (slatey  matter) 

Coal 


Ft.  In 

I  1  •'» 

2  0 

0  6 


Pavement  Rock, 
lielow  Floor 


1  4 

1  8 

0  10 

1  () 
0  6 


-  S 

a   o 
o  ^-« 


Ft.  In. 
1  fi 
3  ;") 
;j  11 
8  2 
8    3 

13  0 

14  0 
16  3 
16  6 

20  0 

21  2 
24  6 

26  0 

27  6 

28  8 

30  0 

31  8 

32  6 
34  0 
34  6 


SrEciFic  Gravitv. 


By  Mr. 

Poole. 


1.442 
1.2S2 
2.822 
1.318 
2.362 
1..323 
l.r>46 
1.407 
3.200 
1.471 
2.136 
1.467 
1.314 
1.4KJ 
1.547 
1 .423 
1.462 
1.671 
1.800 
2.0!)0 
2.231 


By  Mr. 

Johnson. 


440 

300 

:->m 

308 
371 
334 
465 
418 
288 
1.487 
2.175 
1..524 
1.307 
1..564 
1.610 
1.432 
1.602 
1.825 
1.854 
2.105 
2.194 


Average. 


1.441 

1.2!)n 

2.660 

1.313  }. 

2.366 

1..328J 

1.505 

1.412 

3.244 

1.479 

2.155 

1.49.'i 


.310 
523 
578 
427 
.'■)32 
748 
1.827 
2  097 
2.222 


Experiments  made  by  Mr.  Poole,  at  six  difi'erent  parts  of 
the  mine  remote  from  each  other,  p;ave  an  average  si)ccific 
gravitv  of  the  "Pall  coal"  (No.  '2)  of  1.271):  the  "top  bench" 
(No.  i)  1.315;  and  the  "bottom  bench"  (No.  (5)  1334,  the 
general  average  of  which  is  1.3-Jl.  But  as  the  three  plies  of 
coal  are  of  different  thicknesses,  the  true  average  sjjecific 
gravity  of  the  eleven  feet  of  coal  worked  is  1..3-.>8.  which  cor- 
responds to  exactly  eighty-three  i)oiuuls  per  cubic  foot,  or 
2,241  pounds  (one  gross  ton)  per  cubic  yard. 


40 

From  nn  inspection  of  the  numbers  in  the  table,  it  is  cvi. 
dent  tlijit,  with  an  unimportant  exception,  no  other  coal  in 
this  tnick  seam  has  so  low  a  specific  gravity  as  the  three  plies 
above  designated,  and  particularly  that  the  massive  body, 
thirteen  feet  (our  inches  thick,  from  No.  V*  to  No.  19  inclu- 
sive, has  but  a  single  ply  (No.  13)  of  one  and  a  half  foot  thick, 
which  has  so  low  a  specific  gravity  as  1.31.  The  rest  evi- 
dently  belong  as  properly  to  the  class  of  bituminous  shahs  as 
to  that  oi  coals. 

When  broke  up  into  lumps  of  the  size  usually  given  to  the 
lump  coal  in  the  market,  experiment  proves  that  Pictou  coal 
weighs  52.08  pounds  per  cubic  foot,  as  above  stated.  If  the 
coal  be  broken  up  so  fine  that  no  piece  shall  weigh  more  than 
one  pound,  the  cubic  foot  will  ueigh  fiff y.five  pounds,  and  the 
gross  touM^ould  then  require  only  40.72  cubic  feet  of  space 
lor  Its  stowage  on  ship  board.  The  anthracite  of  Beaver 
Meadow,  Pa  broken  to  c^g  .size,  weighs  fifty-seven  and  one- 
fourth  pounds  per  cubic  foot,  and  the  stowage  space  per  ton 
1.S  then  .11).  12  cubic  feet. 

As  the  Pictou  chaldron  is  forty-eight  bushels,  each  bushel 
weighs  seventy-three  and  a  half  pounds  when  reduced  only  to 
the  ordinary  marketable  condition  of  average  coarse  and  tine 

XIX.— Control,  Mai*ageme\t,  and  Rent  of  Mines. 
I  have  already  referred  to  a  mine  of  eoal,  said  to  have  been 
worked  by  the  French  near  Mire  Bay,  prior  to  their  surrender 
of  the  celebrated  fortress  of  Louisburg  in  1758.  At  Swivel 
1  oint  also,  about  one  mile  southeast  of  the  present  8vdnev 
mines  IS  seen  m  the  base  of  the  perpendicular  clilT  al^  hisrh 
water  levei  a  very  ancient  opening— the  mouth  of  a  horizontal 
drift—on  a  five  feet  bed  of  coal,  which  overlies  the  six  feet 
seam  now  worked. 

The  cliff  having  been  washed  away  to  a  considerable  dis- 
tance  since  the  work  was  abandoned,  the  wooden  props  of 
he  ancient  gangway  stand  in  the  open  air  and  are  washed 
by  the  surf  during  the  prevalence  of  easterly  storms.  More 
and  more  of  the  props  are  exposed  every  year  by  the  gradual 
falling  of  the  overhanging  cliff.  ^ 

As  the  coal  formation  is  exposed  to  the  open  day  all  alonjr 
the  eastern  part  of  this  island,  from  the  Mire  Bay  to  the  Great 
Bras  d  Or  entrance,  a  distance,  following  the  sinuosities  of  the 
coast,  of  nearly  seventy-five  miles,  it  was  impossible  for  even 
the  earliest  navigators,  to  remain  ignorant  of  the  existence  of 
coal  on  that  coast.     But  mining  operations  conducted  in  drifts 


41 


. 


from  above  tide  level,  could  extend  to  limited  distances  only 
before  they  reached  the  outcrop,  because  the  land  rises  only 
from  eighty  to  two  hundred  feet  above  the  sea.  Hence  the 
trade  never  assumed  any  great  importance  until  a  more  effi- 
cient system,  cue  to  extend  below  tide  level,  had  been  intro- 
duced. 

By  Messrs.  Smith  &  Brown's  statement  in  Haliburton's  His- 
tory of  Nova  vScotia,  it  appears  that  prior  to  1828  the  Sydney 
m*nes  were  worked  by  horse  power,  and  yielded  in  a  few  of 
the  preceding  years  an  average  of  about  eight  thousand  five 
hundred  chaldrons  annually.  They  now  yield  about  forty 
thousand  chaldrons. 

The  mines  of  Pictou  appear  to  have  been  first  %vrought  to 
an  important  extent  in  the  year  1818.  On  the  first  of  January 
of  that  vear  two  mines,  one  on  the  east  and  the  other  on  the 
west  side  of  the  East  river  of  Pictou,  were  leased  to  Edward 
Mortimer,  Esq.,  for  twenty-one  years,  for  an  annual  retit  of 
£370  currency  ($1,480,)  and  a  royalty  of  three  shillings  (sixty 
cents)  per  chaldron  on  every  chaldron  <  ver  one  thousand  four 
hundred,  raised  and  sold  within  the  year. 

On  Mr.  Mortimer's  decease  in  1819,  the  mines  were  leased 
on  the  same  terms  to  Messrs.  Smith  &c  Liddell,  by  whom  they 
were  managed  till  the  1st  of  January,  1828,  when  their  lease 
was  surrendered  to  the  British  Government. 

During  their  lease,  it  appears  that  the  mines  were  worked 
by  Adam  Carr,  who  is  stated  to  have  sold  his  coals  at  13s.  6d. 
($2  70)  per  chaldron.  In  1822  and  '23,  however,  he  sold  them 
at  the  wharves  in  Pictou  at  20s.  9d.  ($5  15.)  But  Carr's 
operations,  agreeably  to  the  statement  of  Richard  Brown,  Esq., 
before  a  committee  of  Assembly  of  the  Province  of  Nova 
Scotia  in  1839,  extended  to  no  greater  depth  than  fifty-four 
feet.  He  exhausted  the  seams  to  water  level  before  leaving 
them. 

The  whole  quantity  of  coal  taken  out  before  the  surrender 
of  Smith  &  Liddell's  lease,  viz:  from  1818  to  1827  inclusive, 
was  only  23,325  Winchester  chaldrons,  and  the  total  amount 
ol  royalty  paid  was  but  £5148  15s.  9d.,  or  $20,595  15. 

During  the  existence  of  Smith  &  Liddell's  lease,  viz :  on  the 
1 1th  of  July,  1826,  a  Royal  Grant  was  made  to  the  late  Duke 
of  York,  by  which  he  became  sole  lessee,  for  sixty  years,  of  all 
mines  and  minerals  in  Nova  Scotia,  except  of  course  those  on 
lands  which  had  been  previously  granted  by  the  Crown  with- 
out a  reservation  of  royalty.  These  latter  are  believed  to 
comprise  but  a  small  portion  of  the  territory  of  the  province. 


;il 


42 

The  grant  to  the  Duke  required  of  him,  his  heirs  or  assiimsL 
to  pay  a  rent  of  one  .shilling  sterling  per  ton  on  all  coalslhi 
v.iihr^r^''P''r''r'iP"'^^^^  *«^^'^4h  twenty.two  Cd  ed 

3  six  hrd^T^'1  ?"^  '^'^"^>^  P«""^^  '^'i-'  two  thou, 
sand  SIX  hundred  and  twenty  pounds.  It  also  required  him 
to  pay  iour  pence  (eight  and  a  third  cents)  for  eT  v  ton  ™f 
iron  ore  or  iron  stone,  and  one  twentieth  part  of  the  metal/ 
gold,  silver,  eopper,  lead,  and  all  other  orei  and  metalT  He 
was  required  to  prove  that  searches  had  been  madewifW 

nn  JS        ?'T^\  °^  *^^  '"^'*  valuable  minerals  in  the  eran^s 

lorK,  to  all  the  mines  and  minerals  in  Nn-r^  «a«^f      '^"'*^^"» 

possess."*  "  '"""""■mcatrng  any  information  .hey  may 

Du'L  'n?v  ^r^"^-  '^■""'''''  ''"''««  *  Co.,  assignees  of  .he 
.7  J      L  *"'''•,  "^^  '"'»  possession  of  the  Pictol  min^  „„5 

As  to  the  dues  paid  by  the  Association  to  the  Government 

urrfnTj  ft  anr;4n''titv°re  ™l  *T  *"''''.'  «^-  *''-  ^' "'•'■^ 
F^kia'^d,  tdeVd°ate'':f'g:efX"2l  I^oIT^T^  ^'J 

tg..  ibe  l«ie,  u  Unjlh,  appendnl  lo  thi.  rapoR. 


^9 

New  Castle  chaldrons  to  be  £3,000  sterling,"  (say  815,000) 
and  two  shillings  currency  for  the  excess  shipped  beyond 
that  quantity.**  '^'^  ^ 

It  appears  that  down  to  1838,  the  Association  took  out  in 
all  190,147  chaldrons,  understood  to  be  Winchester  measure 
and  that  the  sales  did  not  in  any  year  amount  to  twenty  thou- 
sand  New  Castle  chaldrons.  At  the  rate  stated  by  Mr.  Mur- 
ray to  Sir  P.  Maitland,  this  would  have  amounted  to  $140  (503 
and  at  that  put  down  by  Mr.  Cunard,  to  $105,000  for  the 
eleven  yeai-s  m  which  the  Association  had  been  operating. 

By  official  returns  from  the  several  mining  districts,  hereto 
appended,  it  appears  that  there  were  mined  and  sold  by  the 
Association  in  1842,  a  total  of  39,333  chaldrons.  New  Castle 
measure,  which  at  the  rates  stated  by  Mr.  Cunard  must  have 
paid  m  rent  and  royalty  $22,733. 

In  consequence  of  Mr.  Cunard's  representations  in  the  let- 
ter  above  referred  to,  setting  forth  the  difficulty  of  competing 
in  the  American  market  with  the  coals  of  the  United  Stated 
under  the  tariff  of  1842,  Lord  Stanley,  on  the  18th  of  FeC 
ruary,  1843,  communicated  to  Lord  Falkland  the  decision  of 
the  Lords  of  the  Treasury,  which  was  to  allow  the  Associa- 
tion  for  that  year  only,  to  raise  twenty  thousand  chaldrons 
beyond  the  number  stipulated  in  their  lease,  free  of  charge  for 
royalty,  thus,  m  effect,  giving  them  the  right  to  raise  forty 
thousand  chaldrons.  New  Castle  measure,  for  £3,000  sterling. 
It  appears  by  the  annexed  certified  returns,  that  they  actually 
raised  33,550  New  Castle  chaldrons  in  that  year,  which  was  a 
decrease  of  5,783  chaldrons  on  the  preceding  year's  operations 
Upon  urgent  representations  made,  Lord  Stanley,  on  the 
31st  of  January,  1844,  again  wrote  to  Lord  Falkland,  grant- 
ing  him  he  pnvileu^^e,  if  he  thought  proper  to  exercise  it,  of 
aUowing  the  Association  to  raise  fifty  thousand  chaldrons 
i\ew  Castle  measure,  for  a  limited  period,  "say  from  five  to  ten 
years,   on  the  payment  of  the  stipulated  rent  of  £3,000  ster- 
ling.    In  answer,  Lord  Falkland  assigned  as  reasons  for  with- 
holding this  privilege,  that  the  decision  would  embarrass  the 
adjustment  of  the  "civil  list"  question,  (a  matter  which  he 
appears  to  have  considered  paramount  to  all  other  subjects) 
and  that  the  indulgence  granted  the  preceding  year  had  not 
resulted  m  an  increase  of  sales,  but  the  contrary. 

The  ofer,  however,  on  the  part  of  the  Government  to  grant 
this  large  concession,  proves  the  regard  which  it  feels  for  the 
interests  of  the  Association,  and  the  liberal  aid  it  was  willing 
to  bestow,  in  fostering  its  growing  enterprise,  and  sustaining 
its  competition  in  the  American  market. 


s 


11 


II 


44 

rr!!!f«r^'*"*l*J''^^.^^y'*"**  *^^  ^•''««t  interest  which  the 
fimi  ^n  .7  '"  ^^  "''•'"^*'  productiveness  of  the  roy«//y  to 
find  an  adequate  commercial  motive  for  affording  this  impor- 
tant  indirect  protection  to  its  colonists,  and  other  subiects 
As  an  additional  .  idence  of  this  interest  on  the  part  J  the 
Government  m  t;..  .prosperity  of  the  mining  operations  in 
Nova  fecotia  I  may  mention  that  during  the  preset  vear  the 
Association  has  for  the  first  time  become  posLs^d  of  fcw! 

w^htrhitt:;\%'r  ^''"^^^"^^  *^  --^^«  ^^«  -^^^- 

m  chancery  between  the  Crown  and  the  assignS"the  Duke 
iL^rotfhT'"'r'  which  removes  all  embarrassment  aris! 
ing  irom  that  quarter,  are  advantages  on  which  the  Associa- 

rei  tmod2^'r  ""?l^.  "r^^^^  ^"^^  satisfaction  as  on  th; 

fti^!r^^:^i^      Je^g-^-tK! 

invesJed7nXvl°'i^  ^  r  ""  ^fPi^'^' «f  ^250,000  ($1,250,000) 
£20  P«Ph  nn^T  ft  '''''^  ?^P^  *^'"«^«»-  The  shares  are 
4-20  each,  and  have  lately  received  a  dividend  of  eight  or  ten 
per  cent.,  understood  to  be  the  first  which  has  ever  bf  en  made 

c'^ent.:  or  £l7p^r'shtf^^^  ^^^'  ^"  ^«"^-  ^'  ««^^«-  P- 

AslemWvIn '^8^0^  M  ^' R  '^^  committee  of  the  Provincial 
Assembly,  in  1839,  Mr.  Brown  states  that  the  Association 
formerly  sold  coal  at  13s.  6d.  ($2  70)  per  chaldron  C«„^ 
«equent,y  raised  it  to  15s.  andken  ti  Tts.  ($3  40);'a.^  ht 
at  the  former  price  they  sold  it  at  a  loss,  w  th  a  view  to  in- 
troduce  It  into  foreign  markets.    This  effect  having  n^w  been 

fnZ:,'^fl^^^^^^  -Pital  was  long  S„ce 

rJHL\'^.r*''^'''^^^V^^P^^^»«««'"P"tedon  the  New 
tastle  chaldron,  as  stated  to  me  by  several  of  the  i^pZ^VZ 
the  rate  mentioned  was  eighteen  pLceSrn^^'ffi  stated 
ment   be  correct,  and  if  by  the  "  New  Castle  cLdL-  £ 

w"of  "63  trS  Th'^"'^^  f^'-^^«"  of  5I  tt  but  the  ca? 
kJ''''."J!I?^  foregoing  statements, it  appears  that  Pictou  coal 


1 

f 


45 


55.2 
18.4 

14.2 


-  11.9 


0.6 


Per  Top 

1.  Under  the  first  lease  from  1818  to  1828,  the  rent 

and  royalty  averaged 55.4  cts. 

2.  Under  the  grant  originally  made  to  the  Duke  of 
York,  at  one  shilling  sterling  for  two  thousand  six 
hundred  and  twenty  pounds,  the  royalty  per  ton  of 
two  thousand  two  hundred  and  forty  pounds,  was  21.3 

3.  Under  the  lease  to  the  Association,  from  1828  to 
1838,  inclusive,  it  amounted,  by  Mr.  Canard's  state- 
ment,  on  the  coal  actually  mined  at  Pictou  (exclud- 
ing that  of  Sydney)  to         «        -        -        .        . 

4.  On  the  total  amount  mined  in  1842    -        -        - 
6.  On  the  quantity  taken  out  in  1843,  under  the  spe- 
cial permission  of  the  Lords  of  the  Treasury 

6.  On  the  total  quantity,  (forty  thousand  New  Castle 
chaldrons,)  which  might  have  been  taken  out  that 
year,  had  a  market  offered,  the  ton  would  have 
paid    -•--..... 

7.  On  fifty  thousand  chaldrons,  proposed  to  be  allow- 
ed by  Lord  Stanley  in  1844,  for  five  or  ten  years, 
at  £3,000 

8.  On  one  car  load  at  eighteen  pence  sterling,  as 
stated  above II. 0 

If,  therefore,  the  statements  made  to  me  be  correct  and  ap- 
plicable to  the  company  under  its  new  charter,  the  rent  paid 
will  be  2.4  cents  more  per  ton,  than  would  have  been  paid 
had  Lord  Stanley's  proposal  of  1844  been  carried  into  effect. 
It  is  but  2.3  cents  per  ton  less  than  was  t  jtually  paid  in  1813. 
Had  eighteen  pence  sterling  (thirty-seven  and  a  half  cents) 
per  ton,  been  the  rate,  it  would  probably  have  nearly  corres- 
ponded  with  the  "  mine  leave"  obtained  by  those  who  own 
anthracite  mines  in  Pennsylvania.  Until  the  present  year, 
the  Association  have  had  a  distinct  lease  of  the  Cape  Breton 
mines,  independent  of  their  engagement  with  the  Duke  of 
York's  assignees,  not  admitting  that  the  Duke's  grant  covered 
that  island.  The  settlement  of  the  chancery  suit,  and  the 
admission  of  the  assignees  to  a  participation  in  the  benefits 
of  all  the  mines,  merging  the  royalties  into  one,  and  co-operat- 
ing to  extend  the  trade,  will,  no  doubt,  be  found  favorable  to 
the  interests  of  the  crown,  as  well  as  those  of  the  Association. 

From  the  best  information  I  could  obtain,  I  compute  that 
the  whole  quantity  of  coal  that  has  been  mined  and  sent  to 
market  from  Pictou  since  1818,  is  eight  hundred  and  seventy 
thousand  chaldrons,  or  one  million  three  hundred  and  seventy 
thousand  tons.    Knowing  the  cost  of  mining,  the  amount  of 


inus,at  Picfou,  are  m vested iE  180 000  rsnnonnm  ««  ,.,u-  u 
interest  at  six  per  cent  .•R'i i nnn^r,\T.!   ^**'v\''""9  °**  which, 

'^  "  "  -        0  CO 

Making  a  total  of  .  71 

•     ^  •  -  -        0  25i 


Then  the  cost  and  interest  will  be 

As  the  ton,  at  wholesale,  now  costs 
11  trom  this  we  take 

We  have  left  as  the  nett  profit . 


SI  82| 

1  00.4 
1  57 

33.4 


Supposing  the  royalty  to  be  thirty  seven  and  a  half^'  ml 
This  would  be  reduced  to  -  TT 

brought' ftfpfc.o^riShts'rv'^^'"' '"  ^^p'™'"' '"'«. 

,1,?™  J     manitest,    one  hundred  and  sixty  chaldron.!  anrf 
charged,  as  registered  at  the  Custom  House  «52fl  •  wM  t-. 

will  be    observoil  ic  St  on  „      "»'"'"  nouse,  SS^S  j  which  It 

equal  to  two  hundred  and  twenty-two  and  a  half  Philadel! 


ihi 


47 


7.9 


phia  chaldrons.  It  weighed  six  hundred  and  twcnty-two 
thousand  five  hundred  and  thirty-three  pounds,  which  div'ded 
by  three  thousand  five  hundred  and  twenty-eight,  the  true 
numher  of  pounds  in  a  chaldron  at  Pictou,  gives  one  hundred 
and  seventy-six  as  the  true  numher  of  such  chaldrons  in  that 
cargo,  which  multiplied  by  $3  gives  8528.  This  proves  that 
this  "  single  cargo"  was  sold  at  the  same  price  as  if  the  pur- 
chaser had  taken  one  thousand  chaldrons  or  more. 

Again:  A  cargo  of  Pictou  coal, recently  imported  into  Pro- 
vidence, llhode  Island,  is  stated  to  have  been  invoiced  at  one 
knndrcd  and  sixtt/'tno  chaldrons,  and  charged  at  8 180,  which 
is  83  per  chaldron,  (being,  perhaps,  part  of  a  large  order,)  but 
it  actually  weighed  six  hundred  and  nine  thousand  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty  pounds,  and  consequently  must  have  been 
one  hundred  and  sevcnti/'tiro  Pictou  chaldrons.  It  measured 
seven  thousand  seven  hundred  and  seventy-six  bushels,  or  two 
hundred  and  sixteen  Providence  chaldrons.  Here  the  sellers 
in  Pictou  gave  forty-eight  bushels  for  a  chaldron  ;  forty-five 
bushels  is  their  true  chaldron.  The  true  selling  price  was 
$4.80x172=82  82|  per  chaldron,  (81  79  per  ton.)  At  three  dol- 
lars per  chaldron,  the  cargo  would  have  come  to  8510.  The 
duties,  on  the  first  of  December,  1840,  on  the  invoice  vrdtie  of  the 
cargo  will  be  8145  80,  while  on  the  true  value,  if  that  be  83 
per  chaldron,  it  is  8154  80,  which  shows  that  this  erroneous 
manifest  will  cause  a  difference  to  the  revenue  of  89.  If 
there  be  no  misstatement  of  the  value,  then  it  is  clear  that 
the  Association  arc  furnishing  coa!  to  their  customers  in  Pro- 
vidence at  82  82^  per  chaldron,  or  81  79  per  ton.  This  may 
have  been  designed  to  place  a  Providence  customer  more 
nearly  on  a  level  with  those  in  Boston,  where  I  have  shown 
freights  cost  thirty  cents  less  per  ton  than  at  Providence.  To 
compare  the  Pictou  coal  with  anthracite  in  Providence,  at 
the  rate  at  which  this  cargo  was  sold,  we  have  the  following 
statement : 
Cost  per  ton  in  Pictou,      -  •  -  -    SI  79 

Duty,  thirty  per  cent.        -  -  -  -         53,7 

Freight,  (at  three  dollars  per  chaldron^)     -  -     3  39.6 

And  the  total  cost  of  the  ton  is     -  -  -  84  72.3 

A  ton  of  anthracite  should,  by  what  has  already  been  seen, 
cost  at  the  same  time  and  place  4  72.3X*ff.4=s=85  34  ;  from 
which  deducting  freight  from  Philadelphia  to  Providence 
$1  45,  and  we  have  83  89  as  the  price  at  which  it  must  be 
put  on  board  at  Philadelphia. 


;■ 


i 


n 


XX.— ArrEAL  op  the  Misrisrc  Association  to  the  Govbrn- 

MilNT. 

I  append  to  this  report  the  letter  of  Mr.  Cunard,  to  which 
I  have  more  than  once  referred,  and  also  a  copy  of  the  return. 
made  by  the  several  collieries  at  the  end  of  1843.    These 
documents,  and  the  other  correspondence  which  I  have  had 
Ji^^'^r.'^l"' V*^'  ""-^  interesting,  as  they  convey,  in  an  authen- 
tic torm,  information  as  to  the  effect  of  the  tariff  of  18  42.  in 
impedmg  the  introduction  of  Nova  8cotia  coals  into  the  uiit- 
ed  States;  as  they  establish  the  fact  that  the  markets  of  this 
country  are  of  vital  importance  to  the  mining  interests  of 
that  province;  as  they  exhibit  the  persevering  efforts  made 
by  the  enterprising  Association  which  controls  those  inteiv. 
ests  .to  obt^m  and  preserve  a  footing  in  our  markets;  as  they 
admit  the  hopelessness  of  inducing  those  who  have  mlapted 
their  furnaces  to  the  use  of  anthracite  to  return  to  that  of 
bituminous  coal  j  as  they  assert  that  at  83  60  per  chaldron* 
no  proht  had  been  left  to  the  Association,  and  that  a  grea  re- 
duction must  be  made  in  the  price  of  coal  to  enable  it  to  sul 
tain,  under  the  tariff  of  1842,  a  competition  with  the  Amen- 
can  coals  m  the  markets  of  the  United  States. 

1  he  correspondence  which  I  have  cited  also,  shows  that  this 
strong  appeal,  made  to  the  Home  Government,  was  not  with- 
out  its  effect  in  procuring  relief  to  the  Association.    Mr.  Cu- 

??!>,•*'  l^'^'^''^  *^^^  ^""^  **^*t^«n  years  those  clear-sighted 
capitalists  who  are  engaged  in  efforts  to  create  and  extend  a 
trade  With  the  United  States,  were  willing  to  forego  all  re^ 
turns  upon  their  investment.    It  declares  that  the  expense  of 

that   he  mines  must  be  closed  unless  the  Government  would 

es  the  confident  expectation,  in  case  this  favor  from  the  Crown 
tTJlffn?  •  f  inducing  manufacturers  in  the  United  States 
intrth^^'f  "^  even  extend,  their  use  of  Nova  Scotia  coals, 
notwithstanding  the  duty  imposed  in  1842,  and  notwithstand- 
ing the  competition  then  existing  between  our  two  great 
rival  lines  of  transportation.! 
Philadelphia,  November  14,  1840. 

♦  £°!!!?r^''!'  *^  ^H  «i«!^"i<^"»  «n  «h«  Pfeccaing  page, 
t  Reading  Rsiiroad  and  ScfauylkiU  Navigation. 


iTianmHiim;Bft»^^ 


^v;jr.s3g^a-a5:ap-7; 


APPENDIX. 


10*0*0*0*0*0^^0^0^0*0*^0*0*0^0^^^^^^^0*0^ 


Letter  from  Samuel  Cunnrd^  Esq.^  to  Lord  Viscount  Falkland. 

Halifax,  N.  S.  22<£  December,  1842. 
My  Lord  :  I  have,  as  Agent  of  the  General  Mining  Associ- 
ation, to  bring  under  your  Lords'  ip's  uotice.the  great  decrease 
which  has  taken  place  in  the  shipments  of  the  coal  made 
from  the  mines  of  the  province  this  year,  compared  with  those 
of  last  year ;  and  I  beg  to  call  your  Lordship's  particular  at- 
tention to  the  causes  which  have  pro>.iced  this  decrease,  and 
to  state  my  conviction  of  the  positive  certainty  which  at  pre- 
sent exists,  that  our  trade  with  the  United  States  will  be  en- 
tirely destroyed,  and  the  coals  of  this  province  excluded  from 
that  market,  unless  we  can,  by  a  reduction  of  th  cost  of  the 
coals,  counteract  the  heavy  duties  which  we  have  to  contend 
against. 

Your  Lordship  is  aware  that  the  Government  of  the  United 
States  have  lately  imposed  a  duty  of  one  dollar  and  seventy- 
five  cents  per  ton,  or  two  dollars  and  twenty  cents  per  chal- 
dron upon  all  coal  imported  into  the  United  States.  This 
duty  alone,  (imposed  for  the  purpose  of  protecting  the  mines 
of  Pennsylvania  and  Virginia,)  would  have  been  almost  pro- 
hibitory ;  but,  in  addition  to  this,  the  mines  in  Pennsylvania 
have  been  able  to  effect  a  very  great  reduction  in  the  cost  of 
their  coals,  by  the  competition  of  the  Reading  Railroad,  by 
which  means  they  can  afford  to  sell  their  coals,  this  year,  at 
one  dollar  and  fifty  cents  per  ton  less  than  last  year ;  and  they 
have  now  completed  a  railroad  from  Cumberland  to  Baltimore, 
which  will  tend  to  reduce  the  price  of  coal  still  further. 

The  duty  upon  coals  imported  into  the  United  States  this 
year,  until  the  month  of  July,  when  the  new  tariff  came  into 
operation,  was  a  little  more  than  one  dollar  per  chaldron,  but 
by  the  new  tariff,  the  duty  levied  is  very  nearly  twc  dollars 
and  one  quarter  per  Winchester  chaldron. 

Your  Lordship  will  at  once  see  the  effect  which  the  addi- 
tional duty  had  upon  the  importation  of  Pictou  coal  into  the 
United  States,  when  I  inform  you  that  twenty-one  thousand 
and  seventy-six  chaldrons  were  shipped  from  the  Pictou  mines 


f 


'  i      i 


50 

in  the  months  of  May,  June,  and  July,  and  only  ci^Mit  thou- 
sand  four  hundred  and  four  chaldrons  since  that  period. 

Mr.  E.  Cunard  has  just  returned  from  a  visit  to  the  prijici- 
pal  cities  and  manufacturing  districts  of  the  United  States, 
and  has  in  every  instance  been  informed  l)y  the  manufactur- 
ing companies,  who  have  been  the  principal  consumers  of  our 
coal,  that  they  will  be  forced  in  consequence  of  the  enormous 
duty  which  they  have  to  pay  on  the  importation  of  coal  from 
Nova  Scotia,  and  the  low  price  at  which  anthracite  coal  is 
now  offered  to  them,  to  make  use  of  the  latter  instead  of  Pic- 
tou  coal,  unless  we  can  afford  to  sell  the  coal  at  a  much  less 
price  than  we  have  hitherto  done. 

It  is  necessary  before  changing  from  the  consumption  of 
bituminous  coal  to  anthracite  coal,  to  make  an  alteration  in 
the  construction  of  the  furnaces,  and  I  cannot  conceal  from 
your  Lordship  the  hopelessness  of  inducing  manufacturers  to 
return  to  the  consumption  of  bituminous  coal,  after  they  have 
once  adapted  their  furnaces  for  the  use  of  the  anthracite. 
The  establishments  at  the  mines  have  been  reduced  to  the 
lowest  possible  point  consistent  with  any  degree  of  effective- 
ness, and  the  strictest  economy  prevails  in  every  branch  of 
the  service.  The  price  of  the  coals  put  on  board  of  the  vessel 
at  the  mines,  free  of  all  charge  to  the  purchaser,  is  at  present 
eighteen  shillings  currency  per  chaldron,  equivalent  to  about 
nine  shillings  and  six  pence  sterling  per  ton. 

This  price  has  left  no  profit  to  the  Association  for  the  large 
capital  embarked  in  the  working  of  the  mines,  on  Avhich  no 
interest  or  return  has  ever  yet  been  paid ;  but  as  it  is  quite 
evident  that  a  great  reduction  must  still  be  made  in  the  price 
of  the  coal,  to  enable  the  Association  to  compete  in  the  United 
States'  market  with  the  American  coal,  protected  by  a  heavy 
duty,  by  the  freight  from  Nova  Scotia,  and  by  the  strong  feel- 
ing which  exists  to  encourage  the  productions  of  their  own 
country  in  preference  to  those  of  Great  Britain  or  her  colo- 
nies. I  have  given  my  best  attention  to  the  only  means  of 
effecting  this  reduction,  and  am  now  preparing  a  reduced 
scale  of  wages  which  I  will  endeavor  to  arrange  with  the 
colliers,  although  your  Lordship  is  well  awr^re  of  the  difficulty 
which  attends  a  measure  of  this  nature. 

After  effecting  a  reduction  of  the  colliers'  wages,  it  only 
remains  for  me  to  bring  again  under  your  Lordship's  consid- 
eration, the  absolute  necessity  of  assistance  from  the  Govern- 
ment by  a  modification  of  the  royalty. 

I  need  not  call  your  Lordship's  attention  to  the  great  benefits 
which  the  province  has  derived  from  the  vast  expenditure 


which  f  he  General  ^lininj?  Association  have  incunvrl,  or  repeat 
the  nnany  arguments  which  were  made  use  of  on  (brmcr  up- 
plications  to  your  Lordship,  and  to  Lord  John  Russell  and 
Lord  Stanle}'. 

It  is  not  at  the  present  moment  of  any  importance  whether 
the  large  expenditure  incurred  by  the  Association  was  inja- 
mcious  (as  has  been  imputed)  or  not.     Few  undertakings  of 
similar  magnitude,  even  in  England,  have  been  accomplished 
within  the  estimated  expense.     The  difficulties  with  which 
the  Association  had  to  contend,  and  the  expenses  to  which 
they  were  subject  in  opening  mines  in  a  new  country,  with 
the  season  for  active  operations  limited  to  the  short  period  of 
six  or  seven  months,  are  totally  un  cnown  in  England.    Their 
works  are  now,  and  have  been  for  some  time,  carried  on  upon 
the  most  economical  scale  ;  and  after  having  continued  their 
operations  without  the  smallest  return,  for  a  period  of  sixteen 
years,  in  the  hope  of  obtaining  an  increased  trade  with  the 
United  States,  they  now  find  themselves,  after  an  enormous 
outlay  in  the  construction  of  railroads  to  increase  the  ficili- 
ties  of  shipment,  and  with  mines  capable  of  supplying  an  al- 
most  unlimited   quantity  of   coal,  threatened  with   a  total 
destruction  of  their  foreign  trade,  and  with  every  prospect 
of  the  consumption  being  narrowed  to  the  trifling  supply  of 
the  province.     I  have,  therefore,  earnestly  to  entreat  your 
Lordship  to  take  the  subject  into  consideration ;  and  I  beg  to 
request,  that  your  Lordship  will  be  pleased  to  report  to  the 
Right  Honorable   the   Secretary  of  State   for  the   colonies, 
the  unfavorable  position,  and  the  still  more  discouraging  pros- 
pects which  await  the  trade  of  the  mines,  with  a  request  that 
a  very  great  modification  may  be  made  in  the  amount    ''roy- 
alty now  paid.     Without  this  aid  the  Association  will  be 
compelled  to  close  the  Pictou  mines,  and  to  dismiss  the  colliers, 
and  others  employed  the.e,  as  the  Sydney  mines  alone  can 
furnish   twice   the  quantity  which  will  be  required  by  the 
province  for  many  years.     The  Association  would  resort  to 
this  ultimate  measure  with  great  reluctance,  as  it  would  in- 
voive  the  loss  of  all  their  expensive  engines  and  machinery ; 
but  they  will  have  no  alternative  left,  if  the  Government  re- 
fuse to  grant  them  the  assistance  prayed  for.     No  one  can  be 
better  aware  than  your  Lordship  of  the  injury  which  would 
result  from  such  a  step  to  the  general  trade  and  revenues  of 
the  province. 

The  fixed  annual  rent  of  £3,000  sterling  for  the  privilege  of 
raising  twenty  thousand  New  Castle  chaldrons,  equivalent  to 
a  duty  of  three  shillings  sterling  per  New  Castle  chaldron,  is  a 


f. 


ss 


■!■ 


much  larger  duty  than  the  Association,  under  existing  cir- 
cumstances, can  continue  to  pay.  As  they  are,  however, 
aware,  that  this  amount  has  been  appropriated  by  the  Gov- 
ernment for  specific  purposes,  and  it  may  be  inconvenient  to 
Government  to  reduce  it,  or  interfere  with  its  regular  payment, 
the  Association  would  be  willing  to  pay  this  amount  annually, 
but  would  pray  that  your  Lordship  would  be  pleased  to  re- 
commend, that  the  number  of  chaldrons  which  may  be  dis- 
posed of  on  the  payment  of  this  sum,  be  extended  from  twenty 
thousand  to  fifty  thousand  chaldrons.  Upon  any  excess 
shipped  beyond  that  quantity,  the  present  royalty  of  two  shil- 
lings currency  per  New  Castle  chaldron  be  continued. 

Should  the  Government  be  pleased  to  accede  to  this  propo- 
sition, the  Association  may  be  enabled  to  oflTer  coals  to  the 
manufacturers  and  consumers  in  the  United  States  at  such  a 
price  as  to  induce  them  to  continue  their  use,  and  I  hope  to 
introduce  them  also  into  new  markets  abroad. 

If,  however,  the  Government  decline  complying  with  this 
petition,  all  foreign  trade  will  be  totally  destroyed,  the  Asso- 
ciation confined  to  the  trifling  supply  of  the  province,  and  the 
revenue  limited  to  the  fixed  rent  of  £3,000  sterling. 

I  enclose  for  your  Lordship's  information,  a  statement  ex- 
tracted from  the  returns  in  the  Miner's  Journal,  showing  the 
immense  increase  which  has  taken  place  in  the  production 
and  consumption  of  anthracite  coal.  In  the  year  1820,  there 
were  only  three  hundred  and  sixty-five  tons  of  anthracite  coal 
sent  to  market  in  the  United  States.  In  the  year  1840,  the 
consumption  was  estimated  at  one  million  of  tons ;  and  in  the 
present  year  the  quantity  is  estimated  at  nearly  one  million 
and  a  quarter. 

The  shipments  from  Nova  Scotia  in  the  year  1841,  to  the 
United  States,  were  51,090  Winchester  chaldrons.  This  year, 
the  shipments  will  be  about  thirty-three  thousand  Winchester 
chaldrons,  a  decrease  of  eighteen  thousand  chaldrons,  and 
since  the  operation  of  the  new  tariff  the  shipments  have  nearly 
ceased. 

I  think  your  Lordship  will  do  me  the  justice  to  believe  that 
I  have  not  made  this  application  without  a  pressing  necessity. 
From  the  knowledge  which  your  Lordship  possesses  of  the 
subject,  and  the  interest  which  you  have  always  evinced  in 
the  welfare  of  the  province,  \  '^ich  is  so  intimatel}-  connected 
with  the  prosperity  of  the  mines,  I  am  induced  to  hope  that 
your  Lordship  will  be  pleased  to  recommend  to  Her  Majesty's 
Government,  to  grant  the  assistance  prayed  for.  As  we  must 
now  either  enter  into  new  agreements  w'l^^h  the  colliers,  or 


ii  i 


dismiss  them,  and  also  endeavor  to  make  arrangements  for 
the  supply  of  the  manufacturers  in  the  United  States  for  the 
next  season,  I  take  the  liberty  of  begging  that  your  Lordship 
will  be  pleased  to  request  an  early  reply  to  this  communica- 
tion. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  my  Lord, 

Your  Lordship's  most  obedient  servant, 
„     ^  (Signed)  S.  CUNARD. 

His  Excellency  the  Right  Honorable  Viscount  Falkland, 
Lieutenant  Governor,  &c. 


r 


If 


54 


• 
• 

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f.s 

i 

3 


k 


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I 


COMPARISON  OF  EXPERIMENTS 


TO  TEST  THE 


COMPOSITION  AND  EVAPORATIVE  EFFICIENCY 


y 


OP 


AMERICAN  AND  FOREIGN  COALS. 


if: 


3 


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I 


i    ! 


AMERICAN  AND  FOREIGN  COALS. 


Companson  of  the  Results  of  Experiments  to  determine  the 

Evaporative  power  of  American  Coals,  with  those  of 

similar  erpcrimfiits  since  instituted  by  the 

British  Admiralty  on  British  Coals, 

In  reference  to  the  necessity  o(  investigating  the  various 
properties  of  coals,  in  order  rightly  to  estimate  their  relative 
values,  the  following  brief  statements  from  page  vi.,  prelimi- 
nary report  on  American  coals,  express  the  views  of  the  wri- 
ter, and  may  serve  to  convey  an  idea  of  the  need  which  ex- 
isted  in  1843,  (and  which  still  exists  over  a  large  portion  of 
our  coal  formations,)  for  direct  trials  to  establish  the  worth 
ot  their  several  minerals : 

"The  question  of  the  value  of  coats  for  the  purpose  of  gene- 
ratmg  steam  is,  of  course,  mainly  dependent  on  their  heating 
power ;  that  is,  on  the  weight  of  water  which  a  given  weight 
of  coal,  burned  under  a  given  evaporating  vessel,  can  con- 
Vert  into  steam,  while  undergoing  combustion.  But  this  is 
not  the  only  circumstance  requiring  investigation,  in  order  to 
decide  their  value,  even  for  the  purpose  of  sea-going  steamers. 
The  weight  of  a  given  bulk  of  each  coal,  in  its  merchant- 
able  condition ;  the  manner  in  which  it  burns,  whether  with 
much  or  little  flame ;  the  amount  and  character  of  its  com- 
bustible ingredients ;  its  facility  or  difficulty  of  ignition ;  the 
perfection  of  the  combustion,  or  the  proportion  of  the  whole 
amount  consumed  to  that  of  the  combustible  matter  placed  up- 
on  the  grate  ;  the  concentration  or  difl'usibility  of  its  heat ;  the 
proportion  of  humidity,  and  that  of  the  sulphur  which  it  may 
contain,  with  the  consequent  liability,  under  certain  circum- 
stances, to  undergo  spontaneous  combustion-— are  all  points 
requiring  attentive  consideration.  In  addition  to  these,  we 
have  the  question  of  the  manner  in  which  each  coal  behaves 
when  coming  to  the  temperature  of  ignition ;  its  tendency  to 
retain  its  original  form,  the  nature  and  extent  of  change  when 
any  occurs,  whether  by  simply  cracking  and  disintegrating 
into  angular  fragments,  or  by  enlarging  the  bulk,  rounding 
away  and  obliterating  the  angles,  and  vet  not  agglutinating 
mass  to  mass;  or,  finally,  by  wholly  changing  its  form  and 
consistence,  swelling  to  a  great  degree,  and  cohering  so  as  to 
form  a  nearly  continuous  roof,  and  thus  impeding  the  passage 


II 

";   1 

- 

i 

1 1 

as 

of  air  through  the  ignited  coal.  In  some  cases  the  question 
of  the  amount  of  solid  matter  which  accompanies  the  gaseous 
products  of  combustion  in  the  state  of  smoke,  becoming  soot 
upon  the  flues  of  the  nj^paratus  in  wliich  the  combustion  is 
conducted,  is  one  of  great  practical  importance.  Of  these 
incidental  questions,  the  amount  and  character  of  the  incom- 
bustible ingredients  of  different  coals  is  a  point  eminently  de- 
serving of  notice.  It  indicates  the  deduction  which  must,  in 
all  cases,  be  made  from  the  heating  power  of  an  equal  weight 
of  the  coal,  considered  as  pure  com!)U8tible  matter ;  it  shows 
the  extent  and  kind  of  labor  requisite  in  managing  the  fur- 
nace ;  it  warns  us  what  to  expect  in  regard  to  the  durability 
of  grate  bars,  and  the  adhesion  of  scoria;  to  those  important 
appendages  of  the  furnace.  All  these  subjects  must  neces- 
sarily engage  the  attention  of  engineers  and  furnace  mana- 
gers, and  no  little  portion  of  the  good  or  bad  character  m  coal 
may  be  considered  to  depend  on  these  circumstances.  The 
relation  of  the  incombustible  ingredients  of  coal  to  each  other 
is  often  such  as  to  render  the  mixture  fusible  at  the  tempera- 
ture of  ordinary  furnaces,  or  at  least  to  be,  in  a  certain  pro- 
portion, reduced  to  a  pasty  coherent  mass  upon  the  grate,  im- 
peding the  passage  of  air,  leaving  another  portion  un vitrified, 
and  capable  of  passing  through  the  interstices  between  the 
bars.  For  ditferent  coals  this  proportion  is  very  diflerent, 
even  when  the  combustion  is  conducted  as  far  as  practicable 
in  the  same  manner,  and  with  the  same  intensity  of  heat. 

"  In  fact,  there  is  scarcely  an  aspect  in  which  this  subject  can 
be  viewed,  which  does  not  open  points  of  inquiry  and  com- 
parison of  the  greatest  practical  importance  to  the  naval  ser- 
vice. It  is  not,  however,  solely  with  reference  to  their  evapo- 
rative power,  or  their  use  under  steam  boilers,  that  coals  are 
of  importance  to  the  navy  of  the  United  States,  and  of  all 
other  maritime  nations.  The  very  introduction  of  steam  ma- 
chinery into  the  navy  has  largely  augmented  the  amount  of 
workmanship  in  metals  demanded  for  that  branch  of  service ; 
and  the  substitution  of  iron  for  wood  in  the  vessels  them- 
selves, is  destined  vastly  to  increase  the  demand  for  such  va- 
rieties of  fuel  as  are  best  adapted  to  the  various  metallurgic 
arts.  It  was,  therefore,  evidently  proper,  in  directing  the  in- 
vestigation of  the  subject  of  the  evaporative  power  of  coals, 
that  the  Department  should  require  (as  it  did)  the  researches 
to  be  extended  to  all  their  applications.  By  instituting  in- 
quiries intended  primarily  for  its  own  use  and  benefit,  the 
Navy  Department  will  have  incidentally  rendered  an  equal 
service  to  many  important  branches  of  art  in  the  country.  By 


inviting,  ns  nbove  stated,  the  proprirtors  of  mines  to  furniish 
their  respective  coals  for  trial,  it  afforded  to  the  mining  inter- 
est an  opportunity  of  ascertaining  the  relative  value  of  their 
own  products,  as  compared  with  those  of  many  other  districts 
and  of  foreign  countries,  and  especially  of  having  the  pecu- 
liar adaptedness  of  each  to  its  specific  object  clearly  desig- 
nated." 

In  the  preceding  account  of  the  coals  and  coal  trade  of 
Nova  Scotia,  we  have  had  occasion  to  refer  to  the  results 
of  experiments  obtained  from  those  and  other  varieties  of 
American  coals.    Those  experiments  have  enabled  the  writer 
to  compare  the  market  prices  at  different  times  with  the 
true  calorific  values  of  the  anthracites  and  the    Vova  Scotia 
coals  respectively.    The  two  samples  of  English  and  one  of 
Scotch  coals,  also  tried  at  Washington  in  1843,  afforded  to  a 
limited  extent  the  menus  of  comi)anson  between  some  of  the 
varieties  more  generall^j'  imported  into  this  country  and  the 
coals  of  similar  constitution  found  in  the  United  States— such 
for  example  as  those  in  the  neighborhood  of  Richmond,  Va. 
\yc    were,^  however,   until    very  recently,  without   relia- 
ble information  respecting  the  economical  values  of  many 
British  coals  which  are  found  extensively  in  commerce,  and 
much  celebrated  for  their  use  in  steam  navigation.     Of  these 
the  Welsh  coals  stand  conspicuous— and  to  them  reference 
had  been  made  at  pages  213-213  of  the  report  on  American 
coals.     A  comparison  is  there  presented  between  about  130 
different  specimens  of  coals  from  seventeen  different  locali- 
ties  in  the  great  coal  field  of  South  Wales,  exhibiting  their 
proportions  of  volatile  matter,  fixed  carbon,  and  earthy  matter, 
or  ash,  together  with  the  ratios  of  their  fixed  to  their  volatile 
combustible  materials.     The  class  of  free  burning  bituminous 
coals  of  Pennsylvania  and  Maryland  had,  upon   analysis, 
yielded  ratios  ofjixed  to  volatile  combustible  matter,  varying 
from  3.t>5  to  5.97,  and  these  coals  had  produced  some  of  the 
highest  evaporative  elfects  found  during  the  whole  series  of 
trials  of  American  coals. 

Among  the  seventeen  varieties  of  Welsh  coals  cited  from 
the  work  of  Mr.  Mushct,  it  was  found  that  the  ratios  varied 
from  2.50  to  13.95;  several  of  those  approaching  the  latter 
number  being,  in  fact,  true  anthracites.  The  inference  was 
natural,  that  the  Welsh  semi-bituminous  coals  would,  when 
fully  and  carefully  tested,  prove,  like  their  American  conge- 
ners,  to  be  of  the  highest  order  of  evaporative  efficiency.  The 
results  of  experience  on  the  largest  scale  had,  in  fact,  justified 
this  inference,  for  the  principal  place  of  shipment  (Newport) 


lU'   ! ; 


II 

li 


w 


'! 


is  known  to  be  generally  crowded  with  shipping,  engaged  in 
transjrorting  fhe  Welsh  i^oals  to  every  part  of  tlie  globe  where 
steam  navigation  demands  their  consumption. 

The  following  table  from  page  213  of  the  report  on  Ameri- 
can coals,  exhibirs  the  characters  of  Welsh  coals  above  re- 
ferred to. 

Tabular  view  of  the  proximate  composition  of  Wtlsh  furnace  Coals* 


Locality  at  which  each  coal  is 
mined  or  used. 


(1.)  Blaeavoniron  works 

(2.)  Clydach, or  Llanelly  works.. 

(3.)  Nantyglo.....  

(4.)  Ebbw  vale 

(5)  Tredegar 

(6.)  Bute  and  Rhymney,  Glamor- 

gansliire 

(7.)  Plymouth  and  Duffryn,  near 

Merthyr  Tidvil , 

Sir  Howy 

Bute 

Dowlaia 

Penn-y  darran , 

Aberdare,  Glamorganshire 

Neath  Abbey 

(14.)  Cyfartha  and  Ynnis 

(15.)  Hirwain,  Glamorganshire. 

(IG.)  Crane's  Yniscydwn 

(17.)  Yatal-y-Fera 


(8.) 

(9.) 
(10.) 

(11) 
(12.) 
(13.) 


Average  composition  in 


4 

7 
4 
7 
9 


6 
8 
7 
10 
8 
9 
6 
8 
4 
3 
9 


27.122 
21.813 
17.210 
16.707 
15.603 

14.797 

14.430 

14.149 

13.941 

12.176 

11.139 

10.. 330 

8.516 

8.091 

7.982 

7.420 

6.587 


s 

•3 
it 
H 

a 

1 
>. 

•s 

a 

69.597 

3.281 

75.598 

2.589 

79.803 

2.687 

79.847 

3.446 

80.056 

4.341 

82.037 

3.166 

82.411 

3.159 

80.845 

5.006 

81.937 

4.122 

85.. 321 

2.503 

86.111 

2.750 

85.990 

3.680 

87.470 

4.014 

89.7.')3 

2.1i)6 

89.081 

2.937 

89.002 

3.. 578 

91.913 

1.500 

0.56 
.4G 

4.64 
4.78 
5.13 

5.54 

5.71 
5.71 

5,88 

7.01 

7.73 

8.33 

10.27 

11.09 

11.17 

12.00 

13.96 


General  exterior  and  other  eharaetera  of  the  eo  tla. 

(1.)  Fracture  conchoidal ;  of  some  of  the  varieties  the  structure  is  cubical,  of 
Others  the  texture  is  granular  and  friable. 

(2.)  Some  of  tht-  specimens  very  bituminous  in  appearance,  and  all  Buillciently 
•o  to  produce  in  coking  much  intumescence  and  change  of  form. 

(3  )  Structure  in  some  cases  lamellar,  much  intersected  with  planes,  and  resem- 
bhng  crystallization ;  other  varieties  are  reedy,  and  intersected  by  oblique  cross 
partings. 

(4.)  In  some  specimens  the  structure  if  cubical,  granular,  and  the  consistence 
friable  ;  in  others,  the  fracture  is  coarse,  rough,  and  structure  amorphous,  showing 
no  definite  directions  of  fracture. 

(5.)  Fractures  oblique  ;  structure  rhombic,  compact,  or  granular,  with  sometime* 
a  tadiO'Striated  surface ;  occasionally  rising  into  prisms. 


61 


■  -  -  •*• 

St 


0.56 

S.46 
4.64 
4.78 
5.13 

5.54 

5.71 
5.71 

5,88 

7.01 

7.73 

8.33 

10.27 

11.09 

11.17 

12.00 

l».i)G 


(6.)  Bright  8Mn!n<»  pfinings  obUque  to  the  beil*.    In  some  varieti«t.  the  ap- 
pearance IS  that  of  glance  coal,  "^ 
(7.)  !?trucmre  cither  mixed  of  rvrdy  and  uranolar,  or  wholly  granutar;  very 

OriglU  and  shiiung  ;  concentric  circlea  sometimes  are  apparent  at  the  fractures. 

(».J  forms  general  yrhomboi<ia:;  structure  granular .  minemlized  charcoal  In- 
lertnixetl  with  reedy  laminae  ;  croas  partings  more  or  less  irregular. 

(9.)  Structure  variable  ;  reedy  and  granular  intermixed  ;  sometimes  crystalloid. 
•pecular,  glance,  or  anihracitous. 

(10.)  Either  bright,  reedy,  iij  regular  laminae,  or  intersected  at  rj"ht  anglei  by 
partmgs  producing  brittlenesa  ;  color  sometimes  dull  black,  hffving  no^proper  cleav- 
age ;  at  others,  the  aspect  is  that  of  beautiful  glance,  having  minute  shitUng  lami- 
nsB  oblique  to  the  surfaces  of  deposition. 

(1 1.)  Structure  sometimes  compact,  minutely  laminated.  Some  varieties  have 
a  reediness  oblique  to  the  bed  ;  some  arc  graphitic  in  appearance,  and  others  uarily 
bituminous  and  partly  anthracitous. 

(12.)  Several  of  these  varieties  are  entirely  anthrneitous  in  character,  and  un- 
ccrgo  no  change  of  form  in  coking;  others  have  the  usual  characteristic  of  dry  bi- 
tuminous coals.  ' 

(13.)  All  these  varieties  are  true  anthracites ;  structure  slaty;  color  brilliant  black. 

(14.)  Some  of  these  arc  decidedly  nnthracitous,  others  contain  bituminous  ce- 
ment between  the  plies,  and  others  still  are  entirely  bituminous.  This  is.  indeed. 
a  transition  coal.  ' 

(15.)  Regularly  crystalized,  granular,  or  shining,  without  regular  cleavaces  t 
•urtaces  sometimes  plumbaginous. 

(16.)  Bright,  shining,  pitchy  ;  grows  more  brilliant  by  pulverizing. 

v*')  All  these  are  true  anthracites,  with  the  ordinary  characters  pertaining  to 

It  appears  that  when  the  report  on  American  coals  reachetl 
hnglancl  in  June,  1845,  a  copy  was  sent  l)y  Hon.  Joseph  Hume, 
M.  1 .,  to  the  Lord.s  of  the  Admiralty,  with  a  sug<,'estion  that 
a  similar  examiuafion  .sliouid  be  made  of  the  coals  of  Eng- 
land, Scotland,  and  Ireland.*  Their  Lordships  promptly  res- 
ponded to  this  wish,  and  called  on  Sir  Henry  de  la  Beche  and 
pr.  Lyon  Playfeir  to  undertake  the  investigation.  After  a 
labor  of  two  years  and  six  months  employed  in  testing  and 
analyzing  the  coals,  the  following  report  was  rendered  in 
January,  1848: 


•The  following  is  an  extract  from  the  letter  of  the  Right  Honorable  Joseph  Hume. 
M.  r.,  to  the  Right  Honorable  the  Lords  of  the  Admiralty : 

••  The  late  Mr.  A.  P.  Upham."  [Upshur,]  "  of  the  United  States,  was  strongly 
impressed  with  the  importance  of  determining  the  nature  and  qualities  of  the  sev«. 
tal  coals  of  the  United  States,  with  a  view  to  their  use  in  the  steam  navy  of  that 
country,  and  in  1842-43  directed  a  course  of  experiments  to  be  made  on  the  dif- 
Jerent  kinds  of  coal  of  the  United  States,  for  the  purpose  of  ascertaining  their  eva- 
porative  powers.  I  have  only  this  day  received  from  the  United  States  the  report 
©t  that  inquiry,  and  I  have  the  satisfaction  of  sending  a  copy  of  that  report  to  your 
Lordships,  that  you  may  see  the  result  of  that  inquiry.  They  have  decided  by  di- 
rect and  practical  tests  the  comparative  usefulness  of  American  and  English  coala, 
as  well  as  the  relative  value  of  the  former  in  their  numerous  varieties;  and  I  eub- 
init  to  your  Lordships  that  a  similar  inquiry  should  be  instituted  into  the  compara- 
tive usefulness  of  the  several  kinds  of  English, Scotch,  and  Irish  coals,  with  a  view 
ofaBcertammg  the  best  for  the  naval  •teameraof  this  country."— i?ri<.  Sept  ,p.  3. 


•a. 


TO  THE  RIGHT  HON.  VISCOUNT  MORPETH. 


MUSGUM  OF  PRArriCAL  GeOI.OGY, 

January  5,  1818. 
My  Lord  : 

We  have  the  honor  to  transmit  a  First  Report  on  (he  ex- 
periments which,  under  the  sanction  of  the  Karl  of  Lincoln, 
your  Lordship's  predecessor,  wc  were  recjuesfed  hy  the  Lords 
Commissioners  of  the  Admiralty  to  superintend,  r('sj)ecting 
the  value  of  different  varieties  of  liritish  coals,  for  the  purpo- 
ses of  our  naval  service  ;  and,  according  to  your  Lordship's 
instructions,  we  have  forwarded  a  copy  of  this  Report  to  the 
Admiralty,  as  the  expenses  of  the  investigation  were  incurred 
by  that  establishment. 

The  utility  of  such  investigations  having  been  fully  recog- 
nized, both  as  regards  questions  of  the  greatest  importance 
connected  with  our  steam  navy  and  as  bcrvring  on  various 
branches  of  our  national  industry,  in  which  the  right  use  of 
our  fossil  fuel  is  so  requisite,  it  is  unnecessary  to  dwell  on  the 
practical  application  of  the  inquiry. 

We  would,  however,  observe,  that  experiments  necessary  to 
ascertain  the  true  practical  value  of  coal  involve  a  very  large 
series  of  observations,  extended  over  a  considerable  period, 
and  directed  to  special  objects  of  inquiry.  The  qualities  for 
which  particular  kinds  ol'  fuel  are  pre-eminent  b(!ing  so  va- 
ried, it  is  impossible  to  deduce  general  results  from  a  limited 
series  of  observations.  Even  in  tlie  one  economical  applica- 
tion of  coals,  their  evaporative  value,  or  their  power  of  form- 
ing steam,  one  variety  of  coal  which  may  be  admirably  adapt- 
ed from  its  quick  action  for  raising  steam  in  a  short  period, 
may  be  far  exceeded  by  another  variety,  inferior  in  this  res- 
pect, but  capable  of  converting  a  much  larger  quantity  of 
water  into  steam,  and  therefore  more  valuable  in  the  produc- 
tion of  force.  A  coal  uniting  these  two  qualities  in  a  high 
degree  might  still  be  useless  for  naval  purposes,  on  account  of 
its  mechanical  structure.  If  the  cohesion  of  its  particles  be 
small,  the  effect  of  transport  or  the  attrition  of  one  coal  against 
another  by  the  motion  of  a  vessel  might  so  far  pulverize  it 
as  materially  to  reduce  its  value.  Even  supposing  the  three 
qualities  united  rapidity  and  duration  of  action  with  consider- 
able resistance  to  breakage,  there  are  many  other  properties 


It 


which  should  receive  attention  in  the  selection  of  a  fuel  with- 
out the  combination  of  which  it  might  be  valueless  for  our 
steam  navy. 

There  is  an  important  diflerenec  existing  between  varieties 
of  coals  in  the  hulk  or  space  occupietl  by  a  certain  weight. 
For  the  purposes  of  stowufi^e  room  this  cannot  bo  ascertained 
by  specific  gravity  alone,  because  the  mechanical  formation 
of  the  fragments  of  coal  may  enable  one  of  less  density  to 
take  up  a  smaller  space  than  that  occupied  by  another  of  a 
higher  gravity.    This  is  far  from  an  imaginary  diflerence, 
being  sometimes  as  great  as  fiO  per  cent.,  and  not  unfrctjuently 
40  per  cent.    The  mere  theoretical  determination  of  the  den- 
sity of  coals  would,  therefore,  give  results  useless  for  practice. 
The  space  occupied  between  two  varieties  of  coals,  often 
equally  good  as  regards  their  evaporative  value,  differs  occa- 
sionally 20  per  cent.,  that  is,  where  80  tons  of  one  coal  could 
be  stowed,  100  tons  of  another  of  equal  evaporative  value 
might  be  placed,  by  selecting  it  with  attention  to  its  mechani- 
cal structure.    These  facts  are  mentioned  merely  to  show  that 
a  hasty  generalization  sliould  not  be  made,  and  to  account  for 
our  drawing  attention  to  these  various  points  as  a  means  of 
preventing  the  selection  of  a  fuel  from  any  one  quality.     We 
do  not,  in  the  present  state  of  this  inquiry,  consider  it  proper 
to  offer  any  recommenda  'on  -four  own  as  to  particular  kinds 
of  fuel,  leaving  the  experim.-,.:  il  facts  to  decide  for  themselves. 
After  preliminary  experiments  had  proved  that  no  practical 
result  could  be  attained  by  mere  laboratory  research,  it  was 
determined  to  test  each  variety  of  coal  on  a  scale  of  sufH- 
cient  magnitude  to  check  the  theoretical  views  by  the  practi- 
cal results.    As  it  was  impossible  for  either  of  us  to  devote 
our  whole  time  to  this  inquiry,  our  services  being  required  by 
other  official  duties,  we  appointed  assistants  to  superintend  its 
special  parts,  under  our  general  direction.    On  the  selection 
of  assistants  we  have  reason  to  congratulate  ourselves,  their 
duties  having  been  conducted  with  great  care  and  skill.     To 
Mr.  Wilson,  since  appointed  Principal  of  the  Uoyal  Agricul- 
tural  College  of  Cirencester,  whose  practical  knowledge  well 
fitted  him  tor  the  task,  the  superintendence  of  the  economical 
part  of  the  experiments  was  first  confided.    To  him  and  Mr. 
Phillips  is  due  the  erection  of  the  boilers,  and  the  experiments 
to  illustrate  the  practical  evaporative  power  of  the  coals. 
After  Mr.  Wilson  had  for  some  time  proceeded  with  the  inves- 
tigation, he  was  joined  by  Mr.  Kingsbury,  who  volunteered  his 
services  to  this  department.    The  latter  gentleman  was  for- 
merly a  distinguished  student  at  the  College  for  Civil  Engi- 


i 


II 


64 

neers,  Putney,  and  from  his  engineering  skill  has  rendered  an 
especial  service  to  this  inijuiry. 

On  the  translation  of  Mr.  Wilson  to  Cirencester,  llie  prac- 
tical su|)erinten(lence  of  the  investigation  was  intrusted  to 
Mr.  .T.  Arthur  Phillips,  a  pupil  of  the  Ecoledes  Mines  of  Paris. 
The  information  obtained  had  pointed  out  improvements  and 
corrections  in  th<'  processes  used,  to  which  Mr.  Phillips  ap- 
plied himself  with  much  skill  and  success. 

The  corrections  and  the  results  of  his  experiments  will  be 
found  in  his  appended  Report.  The  excellent  scientific  edu- 
cation of  Mr.  Phillips,  and  his  practical  resources,  rendered 
his  services  of  great  value. 

The  analyses  of  coals  were  intrusted  to  Mr.  Wrightson  (a 
pupil  of  Liebig,)  who  had  fitted  himself  by  s[)ecial  study  for 
an  undertaking  requiring  so  much  delicacy  of  manipulation. 
Mr.  Galloway,  an  assistant  at  the  Museum  of  Practical  Ge- 
ology, gave  his  occasional  services  in  analyzing  gases  and 
ashes  from  the  furnaces,  but  he  was  not  wholly  retained  for 
this  purpose. 

Mr.  How,  a  very  careful  experimentalist,  and  assistant  at 
the  laboratory  of  the  College  for  Civil  Engineers,  was  appoint-* 
ed  analyst  after  the  retirement  of  Messrs.  Wrightson  and 
Galloway. 

It  is  proper  to  mention,  in  terms  of  approbation,  the  servi- 
ces of  the  intelligent  working  engineer,  William  Hutchinson, 
whose  assiduity  soon  enabled  him  to  be  of  more  important 
service  than  was  to  have  been  expected  from  his  position. 

The  results  obtained  by  the  assistants,  with  accounts  of  the 
modes  pursued,  are  appended,  in  order  that  the  methods  may 
be  examined,  and  that  special  attention  may  be  devoted  to  any 
particular  department  of  the  inquiry. 

In  the  first  section  of  the  Appendix,  a  full  description  is 
given  of  the  processes  adopted  in  conducting  the  practical  part 
of  the  experiments,  as  also  plans  and  sections  of  the  boiler, 
furnace,  and  apparatus  employed. 

The  second  section  contains  details  of  the  observations  and 
experiments  made  to  ascertain  the  evaporative  power  of  the 
different  varieties  of  coals. 

The  third  section  tlescribes  the  formulae  used  for  calculating 
the  experiments,  and  for  correcting  and  reducing  them  to  one 
standard. 

The  fourth  section  contains  the  chemical  experiments,  in- 
cluding the  ultimate  and  proximate  analyses  of  the  coals,  and 
the  determination  of  their  calorific  values. 


05 


It  is  unnecessary  to  repeat  here  the  mode  in  wliich  the  ex- 
periments were  instituted,  as  these  are  detailed  in  the  ilrst  sec- 
tion of  th(!  Appendix,  so  that  it  will  sulTioe  to  draw  attention 
to  the  points  observed  in  reducing  and  calculating^  the  results. 
It  will  be  obvious  that  there  arc  several  circumstances  which 
must  receive  attention  before  the  true  evaporative  value  of  a 
fuel  can  be  o])tained.  Thus,  the  water  in  the  tanks  has  a 
varying  temperature  during  'he  day,  dependent  on  atmos- 
pheric changes,  and  is  always  dill'erent  from  that  in  the  boil- 
er. The  temperature  of  water  in  the  boiler  also  varies  with 
the  external  temperature,  and  the  circumstances  under  which 
the  experiments  are  made.  The  shape  of  a  Cornish  boiler 
favors  an  inequality  in  the  temperature  of  the  water  in  its 
various  parts,  the  colder  and  denser  water  sinking  to  the  l)ot- 
tom,  and  having  a  tenoency  to  remain  there,  so  that  the  tem- 
perature of  water  at  the  surface  is  I'ar  from  being  the  mean 
temperature  of  water  in  the  boiler,  the  dilFcrence  between  the 
surface  and  bottom  water  being,  on  an  average,  70°.  Other 
circumstances  naturally  affect  the  evaporative  powers  of  the 
coal,  as  for  example  the  fact  that  all  the  water  exposed  to  the 
action  of  the  fire  in  the  ])oiler  is  not  converted  into  steam,  and 
that  wood  is  used  to  light  the  fire.  Another  circumstance  of 
considerable  importance,  is  the  expansion  or  contraction  of 
the  boiler  from  an  increase  or  diminution  of  the  temperature. 
In  the  early  stage  of  the  experiments,  those  conducted  by 
Messrs.  Wilson  and  Kingsl)ury,  it  was  thought  unnecessary  to 
make  a  correction  for  this  variation  in  conditions  ;  but  on  as- 
certaining experimentally  that  the  difference  was  as  much  as 
09.025  lbs.  of  water  in  the  contents  of  the  boiler,  between  the 
temperature  150°  and  212°,  it  became  '  sir  le  to  make  an 
allowance  for  it,  even  when  the  difierenc"  1  "*  vveen  the  initial 
and  final  temperature  was  not  greater  than  10°.  Other  cir- 
cumstances of  less  importance,  but  influencing  the  results, 
have  been  neglected,  because  the  application  of  such  correc- 
tions would  have  only  complicated  the  results,  and  would  have 
had  little  practical  value  when  the  errors  of  observation  in 
such  approximative  experiments  remain  so  large.  Among 
these  may  be  mentioned  the  quantity  of  gases  evolved  during 
combustion,  the  elevation  in  temperature  of  the  air  entering 
the  fire  place,  the  barometrical  and  hygrometric  conditions  of 
the  atmosphere,  the  radiation  from  the  boiler  (very  small  in 
amount,  owing  to  its  brick  covering.)  the  hygrometric  state  of 
the  fuel,  or  the  heat  necessary  for  obtrining  mechanical 
draught  in  the  chimney.    In  most  of  these  cases  the  necessary 


*l 


66 

observations  have  been  made,  to  enable  the  corrections  to  be 
applied,  should  it  afterwards  appear  desirable. 

In  making  the  calculation  for  the  evaporative  value  of  a 
fuel,  the  quantity  consumed  was  divided  into  two  portions, 
the  first  being  that  necessary  to  raise  the  whole  mass  of  water, 
exposed  to  the  fn-e,  from  the  7?icnn  temperature  to  212°,  the  se- 
cond portion  being  that  required  to  evaporate  the  water  taken 
from  the  tanks  from  a  temperature  of  212°.  To  enable  this 
to  be  done,  the  mean  temperature  of  the  whole  mass  of  the 
water  is  ascertained,  that  is,  the  temperature  of  the  water  in 
the  boiler  at  its  initial  temperature  after  being  mixed  with  the 
tank  water  at  its  average  temperature.  The  average  of  the 
latter  was  the  mean  of  several  observations  taken  during  the 
day,  and  is  designated  by  t'. 
Let  w  be  weight  of  water  drawn  from  tanks  at  temperature  t' 

,  W  „  in  boiler  ,,  f 

this  being  obtained  from  surface  temperature  corrected  by  ex- 
periment ; 

t,  temperature  after  mixture. 

Then  t  =  '^/,; + "  r 

The  correction  for  the  wood  was  mnde  from  data  procured 
experimentally  by  Messrs.  Wilson  and  Kingsbury,  but  it  can 
only  be  employed  for  the  particular  wood  used,  as  in  subse- 
quent experiments  the  evaporative  value  was  found  very  dif- 
ferent from  anothe  -.^uality  obtained.  The  co-eiricient  of  the 
evaporative  power  of  the  wood  may  be  deduced  from  experi- 
ment, in  which  a  certain  weight  of  water  was  raised  from  a 
known  temperature  to  the  boiling  point,  and  then  a  certain 
po.Mon  of  it  evaporated.  The  following  formulre  have  been 
used  by  Mr.  Kingsbury  tor  the  calculation. 

N  is  the  total  weight  of  wood  used  in  raising  (W-f-?/;)  (the 
weight  of  water  in  the  boih^r,  and  of  that  let  down  from  the 
tanks  during  the  experiment)  from  the  mean  temperature  t  to 
212°;  then  it  is  necessary  to  find  the  weight  N'  necessary  to 
evaporate  w  from  212°. 

Then  ^-  =  e,  the  evaporating  power. 

Let  m  be  the  weight  of  wood  required  to  raise  W  +  iv  from 
t  to  212°,  the  number  1000  being  assumed  as  the  latent  heat 
of  steam. 

n  to  evaporate  W  -f  iv  from  212° 
N'  „  w    „ 

Then  m  +  N'  =  n 


67 


i 


Now 


I 


212  —  t 
But|  = 


n 
m 

W  +  ?^ 
w 


'^'  =  n 


w 


W  +  w 
Z(N  — N')  =  (212  — Ow 

=  (212-0N'(^^) 
NZ  =  N'   I  ^?ii"  (212-0  +  ^1 


w 

N' 


:C. 


(212—0  {W  +  w)+lw 

or,  introducing  the  value  of  t  as  given  by  the  first  formula, 
(l  +  212  —  t)  10+  (212  —  t")  W 
N/ 

If  </  be  the  quantity  of  wood  used  in  lighting  the  fire,  e  q 
will  be  the  weight  of  water  evaporated  from  212°  by  the 
wood,  and  must  be  deducted  from  the  weight  of  water  eva- 
porated in  calculating  the  work  done  by  the  coal. 

The  co-efficient  of  the  evaporating  power  of  the  coals,  or 
the  number  of  lbs.  of  water  which  one  lb.  of  coal  will  evapo- 
rate from  212°,  may  be  calculated  as  follows  : 

Let  P  be  the  total  quantity  of  coal  consumed,  then  the  work 
done  by  P  will  be  to  Yhr-^e  W  4-  w?  of  water  from  t  to  212°,  and 
to  evaporate  uj  —  e  </ from  212°. 

Let  m  be  weight  of  coal  required  to  raise  W  +  10  to  212°  from  t 
p         „  „  evaporate  w  —  eq  from  2 1 2° 

n         „  „  „  \V  +  ?o  from  212° 

— ^  =  E,  the  evaporating  power. 


Then 


10 


P 


Now  V  =  m  +  p 
212  —  t 

I 
But^  =  ^'^- 


m 

n 
e  q 


n 


W  -f  i« 
/  fw—eq\  _      212  — 
V  W  +  uj^-'P    P— /> 


—  t 


(W  +  w)  (212  —  0  +  {w  —  c  q)  I 


to 


eq 


==£ 


!?1 
i' 


68 


was 


Introducinsr 
obtained 


the  values  from  which  the  mean  temperature 


(first  formula.)  we  have  eventually 


(/ 4.212  —  /)  w+  (-212--  t")  W  —  / 


P/ 


^  =  E 


in  which  W  is  the  weight  of  water  in  the  boiler; 

"^      .       .   "         .  drawn  from  the  tanks  dur- 

mj?  the  experiment ; 

t  the  mean  temperature  of  water  in  tanks; 

t   the  corrected  initial  temperature  of  water  in  boiler.* 

takenl^t  S'^'t">f  ^'''"'t''  '^'  '^''*^"^  ^^^*  ^^  '''^^'^  ^^«  been 
taken  at  1000°  the  number  generally  used  in  this  country; 

frnL  M^"*  ^^^  calculations  had  been  made  on  this  subject 
from  the  experiments  by  Messrs.  Wilson  and  Kingsbury,  and 
^e  results  sent  m  to  the  Admiralty,  Regnault's  excellenl  me- 
moir  on  the  latent  heat  of  steam  was  published.  It  became 
necessary,  therefore,  to  use  these  new  results  in  the  future  ex- 
periment^. The^se,  so  far  as  they  apply  to  the  present  inquiry. 
are  reduced  m  the  following  table :  ^ 

nf*Ar^"  '=°"'*'1.'°"  T'*  ^^  °''°  '"'*'^«  *«'  the  combustible  matter  in  the  reuidma 
of  combustion,  euch  as  the  soot  and  carbonaceous  matter  in  tZThe,  ,„Tfw! 
wuh  great  accuracy,  a  series  of  observations  r  .d  an^fy  e  woud  have  been  feoS^ 
ed.  the  labor  and  expense  of  which  would  not  have  been  warranted  bv  the  amouS 
of  correction  necessary.  It  was,  therefore,  considered  sufficient  to  proceed  3. 
ows-ahhough  the  result  is  nothing  more  than  a  very  roug  approximtTon  ,o  the 
Trn/r  '""f  '"  approximation  it  will  be  admit. .d  that  the  evapSve  value  of 
hat  thi  rXl?f"  ;'''  ""'^^  '^  ""  '^"•"bustible  to  the  incombustibirmatter  and 
that  this  ratio  confers  a  similar  evaporative  value  on  the  quantity  of  ashes  cindenT 

terortWtter  if,  iV^'  combustion ;  in  other  words,  tha't  if  the^o^bus  iwi  S 
feet  would  ha  -e  b-n  2  r  "  '^  ^^f"^  '"  '^^  P^^J^'^'i""  «<"  «team.  a  similar  ef- 
bumrd      If  LnO  h.^.h  ^?  'f  a  corresponding  quantity  of  coal  had  been 

♦iKi         ,.  u  ^  ^^  ,     ^^^^^''  ^^  c°a'  containing  the  same  quantity  of  eombu«. 

tible  matter  as  the  reaidua  after  its  combustion  in  the  furnace  *^'"'""'*' **'  "'"^'^ 

T      u  evaporating  power. 

Let  then  te ,  «  weight  of  ashes  after  the  experiment 


M 
M 


M 


♦"t  =»     M  cinders 

Wa  =      »  Boot         „  „ 

The  weight  of  the  cinders  is  taken  ofter  the  clinliers  arc  separated. 

J!j  i  be  the  percentage  of  combustible  matter  in  the  ttahes,  cinders,  and 
y*  I  soot  respectively ;  ' 

Q  the  weight  of  coal  containing  the  same  weight  of  combustible  matter : 
r  the  per  centage  of  combustible  matter  as  found  in  the  coal  by  analysis }' 


Then  r  Q, 

Q 


'•iW.+r,  W,+r, 


_r,  W, -fr,  W. 


tv. 


+  «'s  ««.< 


c 
e 


I 


e 

Q 

§ 

1 


o 
< 


S    4> 

hm 

S  2 

w  St 

So 


e 
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r  r*  I^f  ."T  3  £  '-^  5  ;5  ?^  j-5  f»  2  S  *^  tr  «•'"''*"'>*''»  "» 


2 
.2? 

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V 

U 


\L  P  +  J,  o> 

J.    lUOJJ  iOJB^Y 


C5  O  CO  O  ff(  VS  !?»  2^  5V  35  «  r- 
C  o  — 1  CI  c^  -r  irt  t-  X  ;:3  «  irt  t- 

O  S  »  S  v5  S  a  S  O  3  C  O  Ct 

•T'NCJ-TOOI'-'O  —  "TIO 

C  CTJ  ?!  CJ  50  O  t  X  ?»  iO 

pttB  ^.se  iiaa.wj 
-Jq  io   ju-JO  J, 


O  O  O  —  — 1  C^J  CO  «  -t  ■•'5  lO  W  t-  00  C5  O  ?ri  rt  T  'O  1^  QO  d 
—   .^3-330303:^   —   SSSwr^i-a^rXxa— ••-•CI 

C>9S'=^OO3C>O;3SOSOC»0S0C>0SS9 


'BM  JO  piinod 

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Wm      JO     Bdl| 

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n  irs  «  as  o  cj  -r  ir:  i-*  s:^  —  r^  -f  -^o  oj  o  CM  •f  'o  1^  ff)  —  w  «-■% 


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iaiBM    JO    "OlliJ 

I  Xq  pauopuuq 
•u  )ti<<]]  JO  8i»!} 


apejdii 
*U33  {Gun3Ja|){ 


o 

• 

e   : 

§  i 

e 
si 

(N  O  I;  «  -t  r«J  3:  -X  V2  -^  !?J  S  OD  1^  «r  ffj  o  cc  to  •>»•  ?»  «  X  «s 
•J  c^  lo  •<i  aa  o  CN  ■T  i-'s  t^  w5  — ■  CO  -)"  w  oD  o  J!  «  ifl  1-  CI  —  (?» -r 


OO—iyji'i.'JOCO— 'J.lOO»TOS^— iVSrfioOlJ'-O: 

sr  o  o  »  ©  w  —  jj  CI  00  in  w  00  s^  cj  -r  t-  o  c^  «■»  *i ' 


>  w  » 


l« 

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e 

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o 

'>>puii!nuj3i.>i 
-dutouii^qj,  J{V 


\ 


I    <>' 

i 


TO 

It  also  became  desirable  to  introduce  new  corrections,  which 
the  progress  of  the  inquiry  showed  to  be  needlul.  Thus,  Mr. 
lliillip,ss  carelul  experiments  determined  the  alteration  in  the 
capacity  of  the  boiler  at  different  temperatures,  and  correc- 
lonwasm  future  made  for  this  difference.  The  alteration 
m  the  capacity  of  the  measuring  tanks  was  also  estimated, 
whenever  the  temperature  differed  2°  from  that  at  which  they 
were  guaged.  Another  cause  of  error,  ior  which  allowance 
should  be  made,  is  any  difference  which  may  exist  between 
the  initial  and  hna^  temperature  at  the  beginning  and  close  of 
the  experiment.  This  difference  being  known  by  observation, 
the  correction  may  be  applied  from  the  Table  of  Expansion 
oi  the  Water  m  the  Boiler,  given  in  the  Appendix.  Introduc- 
mg  these  new  corrections  into  the  experiments  for  ascertain- 
mg  the  co-cfficient  of  the  heating  power  of  the  wood,  the  fol- 
lowing  are  the  formulae  used  by  jMr,  Phillips  :— 
(VV  4.  to  —  „/)  (l^t)^  wV  4.  (»/  —  w)  t" 

iU  ~~ =  E. 

In  which  W  is  the  water  let  down  from  the  tanks  durinff 
the  experiment.  ® 

w  =  The  weight  of  water  (as  found  by  the  Table  of  Ex- 
pansion) found  in  the  boilers  at  commencement  of  experiment. 

f  ^^^^''''r^^^f'^'^l^r  in  boiler  at  close  of  experiment. 

I  =  Co-clhcient  of  the  latent  heat  of  steam. 

t  ==  Quantity  of  heat  necessary  to  raise  the  water  in  tanks 
from  Its  mean  temperature  to  that  at  which  it  is  evaporated. 

t  =  Quantity  of  heat  necessary  to  raise  the  water  in  the 
boiler  from  the  initial  to  the  final  temperature. 

t"  =  Quantity  of  heat  necessary  to  raise  the  water  at  the 
Sr '""^"''^  ""  ^"^  ^^^  ^"""^  temperature  of  water  in  the 

P  ==  Weight  of  combustibles  consumed  during  experiment. 
£.  ==  1  he  co-efticient  of  the  heating  powers  of  wood. 

But  when  the  initial  is  lower  than  the  final  temperature, 
me  lormula  becomes— 


(W4.W. 


'  FT 


E. 


A  1  the  terms  retaining  their  original  value  except  the  last,  in 
which  /"  ,s  replaced  by  V"  (or  the  heat  necessary  to  raise  the 
final  temperature  to  that  at  which  the  water  was  expanded  ) 
and  must  be  regarded  as  having  a  negative  value,  while  / 
becomes  positive.     If  now  q  h  the  weight  of  wood  used  in 


71 


lighting  the  fire,  the  formula)  for  estimating  the  evaporative 
power  of  the  coal  will  be 

(W  —  R  7  4.  w  ~  w')  /  4.  (W  +  w  —  v')  t ^  trt'  4.  JH-'  ~  ic)  t"  ■    ^, 
And 


in 


=E'. 


As  the  experiments  arc  strictly  comparative,  and  under  like 
conditions,  the  want  of  tlic  other  corrections,  to  wliich  we 
have  alluded  above,  will  not])e  felt  in  examining  the  results; 
while  their  execution  would  have  introduced  a  refinement  into 
the  experiments  which  never  could  be  obtained  in  practice, 
and  which,  in  fact,  would  be  useless  and  unwarrantable, 
while,  as  previously  remarked,  the  errors  of  observation  in  all 
such  approximate  experiments  remain  so  large. 

The  only  omitted  correction  which  in  appearance  might  be 
supposed  necessary  for  practical  purposes,  is  that  for  the  hy- 
groscopic condition  of  the  fuel.  Had  wood  been  employed, 
this  must  have  been  done  ;  but  the  hygroscopic  nature  of  coal 
is  very  much  less  than  that  of  wood.  The  latter  contains  i 
of  its  own  weight  of  hygroscopic  water;  and  the  heatneces- 
saryfor  the  evaporation  of  this  (quantity  might  be  shown  by 
a  simple  calculation  to  be  nearly  equal  to  22  per  cent,  of  the 
total  heat  obtained  by  the  combustion  of  the  wood.  The  hy- 
groscopic water  in  coal  is,  however,  very  small,  as  will  be 
seen  by  the  following  determinations  of  some  of  the  Welsh 
specimens  experimented  upon : — 


Graigola  Coal  - 

Anthracite 

Old  Castle 

Ward's  Fiery  Vein 

Myndd  Newydd 

Pentrepoth 

Pentrefelin 


Hygroscopic  water. 
1.00  per  cent, 
2.44       « 
0.74 
1.27 
0.07 
0.78 
0.70 


« 
M 


Had  we  introduced  corrections  for  these  small  quantities, 
practice  would  have  been  misled;  because  the  coals  will 
rarely  reach  a  vessel  in  the  dry  slate  that  they  did  in  the  pre- 
sent case,  when  they  were  packed  in  hogsheads  and  kept  under 
cover. 

It  was  found  unnecessary  to  correct  for  any  inflammable 
gases  flying  up  the  chimnc^y,  because  repeated  analysis  of  the 
chimney  gases  proved  them  not  to  contain  any  combustible 


} 


n 


Table  II. — Showing  the 


Names  of  Coats  employed  in  the 
Experiments. 


Welsh 

Coals. 


I'Gniigola 

Anthracite,  Jones  &  Co 

Old  Castle  Fiery  Vein 

Ward's  Fiery  Vein 

Binea 

Llangennech 

Pentrepoth 

Peiitrefelin 

Duffryn..., 

Mynydd  Newydd 

Three-quarter  Rock  Vein 

Cwm  Frood  Rocit  Vein 

Cwin  Nanty-gros 

Reaolven 

Pontypool , 

Bed was 

j  Ebbw  Vale 

I  Porth-niawr 

IColeshill 


sp"o  it  a» 


••    V    n 


Scotch 
Coals. 


'Dalkeith  Jewel  Seam 

"      Coronation  Seam 

Wallsend  Elgin 

Fordel  Splint 

.Grangemouth , 


English  (  Broomhil! 

Coaltf.     I  Lydney  (Forest  of  Dean). 


Slievardagh  Irish  Anthracite... 


Patent 

Coals. 


Wylam'8  Patent  Fuel. 
Bells  " 

VVarlich's         " 


3r  ^*" 


:U 


.**  c  «     • 
2  £ 


(S  5  2£ 
§.2.2.- 


A. 

935 
9.46 
8.94 
9.40 
9.94 
8.86 
8.72 
6.36 

10.14 
9.52 
8.84 
8.70 
8.49 
9.53 
7.47 
9.79 

10.21 
7.53 
8.0 

7.08 
7.71 
8.46 
7.56 
7.40 

7.3 

8.52 

9.65 

8.92 

8.53 

10  36 


Sow 

.J'  s  » 


Pounds. 


B. 

60  166 

58.25 

50.916 

57.433 

57.08 

56.93 

57.72 

66.166 

53.22 

56.33 

56.388 

55.277 

56.0 

58.66 

55.7 

50.5 

53.3 
53.0 

49.8 

51.66 

54.6 

55.0 

54.25 

S?>.5 
d4.444 

62.8 

65.08 

65.3 

69.05 


-   «-^ 

■S  S  " 

.Sf-  s 
ego 


Founds. 


C. 

81.10V 
85.786 

80.42 

83.85 

81.357 

81.85 

81.73 

84.726 

82.72 

81.73 

83.60 

78.299 

79.859 

8^.354 

82.35 

82.6 

78.81 

86.722 

80.483 

79.672 
78.611 
78.611 
78.611 
60.48 

77.988 
80.046 

99.57 

68.629 
71.124 
72.248 


constituent ;  the  only  products  ever  found  being  carbonic  acid, 
sulphurous  acid,  oxygen,  and  nitrogen.  The  quantity  of  free 
oxygen  in  the  chimney  varied  from  |^  to  |  of  the  oxygen,  which 
combined  with  the  fuel;  in  otliir  words,  nearly  twice  the 
quantity  of  air  passes  through  iue  fire  than  that  which  is 
strictly  necessary  by  theory. 


^1 


m 


3  a 

>. 

-s 

5  g 

^ 

•  « 

if 

5 

o 

^ 

te 

>unds. 

C. 

i.iov    1 

5.7 
(1 .1 

86 

iilconomic  Values  of  the  Coals. 


e  0  ~* 

■a  5  2 

1  Ion 

cone- 

in <~  i~ 

g  o  0 

U    t>    u 

g  J  bo 

a  0 

pora- 

berof 

eva- 

tt  1  g 

e    ;j    C/ 

l"g3> 

Iw     (L.     1^ 

m 

ys  V 

JS  --• 
•tl  — 

S  "  « 

S  «  o 
§..5  5 

CO 

><  <u  w    . 

>   «i   3   n 

O         c    •" 
O.  •->    B    .. 

c  _^  S  c 

5 "«  ~ '" 

2  o  I.  »- 

^■s.s  s 

|52 
III 

S  S  £  .^ 

>  ^  a  a 

Q    0  v.    V 

as  -"  *■ 

Mean. 

D. 

F. 

G. 

H. 

I. 

,742 

.34.8 

37.23 

49.3 

9,66 

581.20 

441.48 

.679 

47.26 

38.45 

68.5 

9.7 

565.02 

409.37 

.()3:i 

57,946 

46. 

43.99 
39. 

57.7 
46.5 

455.18 

608.78 

.i(l4  30 

.G85 

Voie""" 

529.90 

.Wi 

42.5.1 

39.24 

51.2 

10.3 

587.92 

486,95 

M)5> 

4.')  76 

39. .'14 

53,5 

9.2 

523.75 

373,22 

.705 

40.17 

38.80 

46.5 

8.98 

518.32 

381.50 

.781 

28.051 

33,85 

52.7 

74 

489.62 

247.24 

.(.'13 

55.43 

42,09 

562 

11.80 

540.12 

409.32 

.t)!i9 

45.09 

39.76 

53.7 

10.59 

53G.26 

470.  ()9 

.674 

48.26 
41.648 

39.72 
40.52 

52.7 
72.5 

498.46 
480.90 

486.86 

.7(16 

9.35" 

379^80 

.701 

42.60 

40.0(1 

55.7 

8.82 

471.52 

404.16 

.713 

40  .'JS 

38.19 

35.0 

10.44 

559.02 

390.25 

.676 

47.845 

40.216 

57.5 

8.04 

416.07 

250,40 

.611 

6.3.565 

44.32 

54.0 

9,99 

494.39 

476.96 

.676 

45.98 

42.26 

45.0 

10.(i4 

544.19 

460.22 

.614 

62.7 

42,02 

62.0 

7.75 

401.34 

347.44 

.658 

51.85 

4226 

62. 

8.34 

424.0 

406  41 

.625 

59.984 

4.'  98 

85.7 

7  10 

352.58 

355.18 

.657 

52  17 

43,36 

88.2 

7.86 

398.29 

370.08 

.6!»4 

4;j.78 

41.02 

64. 

8.67 

460.82 

435.77 

.699 

42.92 

40.72 

63. 

7.69 

415,80 

464,98 

.674 

48.35 

40.13 

69.7 

7.91 

401.45 

380.40 

.673 

48.55 

42.67 

65.7 

7.66 

383.25 

397.78 

,68 

47.02 

41.14 

55.0 

8.98 

463.86 

487.19 

.<»« 

58.55 

35.66 

74. 

10.49 

618.58 

473.18 

.948 

5.45 

34.41 

9.74 

580.51 

418.89 

.918 

8.91 

34.30 

8.65 

557.0 

549.11 

.955 

4.49 

32  44 

10  60 

715.35 

457.84 

With  regard  to  the  selection  of  the  coals  for  trial,  we  have 
to  refer  to  Mr.  VVilson'.s  letter  inserted  in  the  Appendix.  This 
letter  gives  the  inlbrniatibn  obtained  in  a  tour  made  by  Pro- 
fe-ssor  Wilson  for  the  purpose  of  ascertaining  the  best  coals 
fitted  for  trial  in  the  South  Wales  coal  district,  and  the  ports 
from  which  they  can  <  vcniently  be  shipped.  This  district 
6 


s 


li 


ill! 


^4 

was  selected  because  the  varying  character  of  the  coals,  I'rom 


the  hit 


th 


jlFeii 


tummous 
most  likely  to  comhine  the  <iualitieN  desired  for  naval  purpo- 
ses. It  was  intended,  as  heinj,'  most  convenient  for  (he  in- 
quiry, to  have  adhered  strictly  to  districts.  In  the  experiments 
this  has  hitherto  been  done,  except  in  special  cases,  at  the  re- 
quest of  the  Admiralty. 

The  preceding  Table  (Table  II.,  pajjes  70-71)  contains  an 
abstract  of  the  results,  so  far  as  re<,^nrds  the  evaporative  value 
of  the  fuel;  the  special  characters  of  « ach  of  the  coals  beint' 
described  in  the  experiments  detailed  in  the  Appendix.  "^ 

This  Table  relates  only  to  the  economical  valueof  the  coals 
exammed,  and  to  the  steam  generated  by  a  unit  of  the  res- 
pective coals,  without  however  implying  a  unit  of  time;.  The 
detadswith  reference  to  time,  whicli  Ibrms  a  most  imj)orfanl 
element  m  the  value  of  the  respective  fuels,  will  be  found  in 
feection  II. 

The  economical  results  obtained  by  evaporation  in  thel)est 
applied  practice  are  ascertained  to'be  only  a  small  j)art  of 
the  theoretical  result  following  iVom  the  actual  quantity  of 
heat  capable  of  being  generated.     Si  ill,  as  a  comparative 
statement,  it  is  necessary  to  contrast  the  economical  heat 
given  out  by  a  coal  with  the  theoretical  quantily.     Thecause 
of  the  difference  between  the  appli-J  and  theoretical  (juanti- 
ties  IS,  at  least  in  a  great  degree,  obvious,  and  does  no!  by  I  he 
apparent  ditlerence  prove  the  fallacy  of  calculation.     Before 
the  comparison  can  be  made,  it  is  necessary  to  have  a  know- 
ledge of  the  composition  of  the  respect ive'  coals,  of  this  we 
subjoin  a  Table  reduced  from  8eel ion  IV.     (8ee  pages  72-78.) 
Chemists  differ  as  to  the  mode  of  calculating  the  I  heoret  icj'il 
heating  values  of  coals,  but,  as  an  approximalive  rule,  with- 
out insisting  on  its  absolute  accuracy,  (heir  caloritic  valu«>s 
are  found  to  stand  in  relation  to  (he  \juantity  of  oxygen  re- 
quired for  their  complet  e  combustion.    This  may  be  esriinat  e<J 
experimentally  by  heating  the  coal  wifh  an  excess  of  litharge, 
or  it  may  be  determined   by  calculation  from  the   known 
equivalents  of  the  combustible  ingredients  of  the  coal.    From 
the  quantily  of  lead  reduced  by  the  coal,  the  oxygen  employed 
in  its  combustion  may  be  estimated,  and  the  calorific  values 
stand  m  direct  relation  to  this  quantity.     The  amount  of  oxy- 
gen necessary  to  consume  tbe  combustible  constituents  may 
more  accurately  be  determined  by  elementary  analysis;  anJi 
thus  calculated,  the  results  are  generally  found  to  "be  about 
i  greater  than  those  indicated  by  experiment  with  the  litharge. 
The  calculation  from  the  elementary  analysis  depends  upon 


IJLL 


n 

the  circumstance,  that  0  parts,  or  one  equivalent,  of  carbon 
requires  10  part«,  or  two  ccjuivalents,  of  oxygen  for  combus- 
tion, while  1  part  of  hydrogen  re<juires  ft  parts  of  oxygen  ;  it 
is  only  necessary,  therrf(»re,  to  suhfract  from  the  hydrogen  a 
quandty  eonesponding  to  the  oxygen  contained  in  tlie  coal 
to  enable  the  calculation  to  be  made  on  these  principles. 

As  the  calorific  values  are  only  relative,  it  is  useful  to  refer 
them  to  the  heating  power  of  pure  carbon,  1  part  of  which 
recjuires  ti.om  parts  of  oxgen  ibr  combustion,  and  is  capable, 
according  to  Desp.efz,  of  heating  78.15  parts  of  water  from 
Its  freezing  to  its  boiling  point.  The  calculation  may  be  sim- 
plified hy  multiplying  each  part  of  lead  obtained  bv  ii.iJfla, 
whicli  gives  at  once  the  weight  of  water  capable  o*f  being 
heated  between  these  temperatures  by  a  unit  of  the  coal  used 
in  reducing  the  litharge.  On  these  principles  the  following 
Tabic  is  eons' ructed.—(.SVr  Table  IV.,  pages  7(J-77.) 

With  regard  to  the  practical  applieation  of  fuel,  such  a 
Table  could  not  supersede  experiment,  as  the  economical 
values  of  ihe  coal  depend  also  on  adventitious  circumstance.* 
cotinected  with  their  physical  as  well  as  their  cliemieal  con- 
dition. This  Table,  while  on  the  whole  it  agrees  with  and 
confirms  the  practical  results  of  experiments,  still  differs  in  a 
marked  degree  in  one  or  two  instances:  this  difference  arising 
as  much  from  the  chemical  as  from  the  phvsical  differences 
of  the  coals.  Thus,  if  by  destructive  distillation,  which  oc- 
curs in  furnaces  before  combustion,  a  large  quantity  of  the 
constituents  of  the  coal  are  rendered  gaseous,  so  much  heat 
is  expended  in  this  act  that  the  heat  developed  by  their  after 
combustion  is  frequently  not  greater  than  that  abstracted 
during  their  formation,  in  which  ease  a  thermo-neutrality  oc- 
curs. To  ascertain  th«i  proportion  of  fixed  and  volatile  pro- 
due's  in  the  various  coals,  the  very  difficult  and  elaborate 
process  drscribed  in  Section  IV.,  page  55,  was  adopted;  but 
the  tediousness  and  chances  of  failure  in  this  kind  of  analysis 
have  only  induced  us  to  include  a  limited  number  of  coals 
(those  given  in  Table  V.,)  especially  as  for  s'eam  purposes  it 
was  sufficient  to  determine  the  per  centage  of  coke,  as  stated 
in  Table  11. 

It  has  been  for  some  time  asserted,  that  the  evaporative 
value  of  a  bituminous  coal  is  expressed  by  the  evaporative 
value  of  its  coke,  the  heat  of  combustion  of  its  volatile  pro- 
ducts proving  in  practice  little  more  than  that  necessary  to 
\-olatilise  them.  If  this  supposition  were  even  near  the  truth, 
the  most  useful  practical  results  might  follow  from  i*.  By  a 
larger  and  better  applied  system  of  gas  manufacture,  the  vola- 
tile products  of  distillation  might  be  made  useful  not  only  ft-r 


nt" 


w 


T^nr-E  III. — Showing  the  Mean  Compo 


Loealitf  ot  nnnc  ti  Coal 


:t 


Wel«h 
Cuala. 


Forei 
Coals, 


Patent 
Fueh 


Scotch 
Coala. 


English 
Coals. 


'gn  J 

'  1 


'Oraigola 
Anthracite 
Oltlcastle  Fiery  Vein 
Ward's  Fiery  V«in 

Binea  Coa] 

Llnngenneck 

Pentrepoth 

Ferrtrefeiin 

Dull'ryn 

Mynydd  Newydd 

Three- (],uarter  Rock  Vein 

Cwm  Frood  Rock  Vein 

Cwm  Nanty-gros 

Reaolveii 

PontyPool 

Bedwas 
Ebbw  Vale 

Porthinawr  Rock  Vein 
LCoIeshili 

'Dalkeith  Jewel  Seam.. 

Dalkeith  Coronation  Seam, 

Walsend  Elgin 

FoTdel  Splint. 
.Grangemouth. 

BroomhiU 

Park  End,  Lydney 


Slievardagh  (Irish) 

Formosa  Island 

Borneo  (Labuan  kind), 
"       3  feet  seam 
"       11  feet  seam 

Wylam'a  Patent  Fuel 

Bell's 

Warlich 


the  purposes  of  illuminalion,  hut  also  for  domestic  heat,  and 
the  residual  coke  might  be  used  with  an  equal  economy  in  our 
manufactures*;  thus  prevcnling  the  emission  of  that  smoke, 

•In  this  case  it  would  be  necessary  not  to  carry  on  the  process  of  distillation  ^fiir 
as  at  present,  as  the  residual  coke  would  be  mor*  combusliWe  and  !he  gases  p«?«r. 


n 


%mpo 


aition  of  average  samples  of  the  Coals. 


and 
tiour 

loke, 

I  so  fur 

pure?- 


t 


B 

Z, 

* 

1 

i 

1*- 

3.84 

0.41 

0.45 

7.19 

324 

855 

3.46 

0.21 

0.79 

2.58 

l..'>3 

929 

4.8!) 

1.31 

0.09 

33i» 

3  64 

79.8 

3.93 

2.03 

0.63 

Included  in 
ash. 

7.M 

4.63 

1.43 

033 

1.03 

396 

88.10 

4.2U 

1.07 

0.29 

3.43 

6.54 

83.69 

450 

0.18 

3.24 

3.36 

82.5 

3.73 

Trace. 

'o.Vs 

4.55 

609 

85.0 

4.C6 

1.15 

1.77 

0.60 

3.26 

84.3 

5.76 

1.56 

1.21 

353 

324 

74.8 

4t»3 

1.07 

2.83 

5.04 

10.96 

62.5 

fi.84 

1.11 

1.23 

3.58 

6.00 

68.8 

A.59 

1.86 

3.01 

3.5H 

5.60 

65.6 

4.75 

1.38 

5.07 

Included  in 
ash. 

9.41 

83.9 

5M 

1.35 

2.39 

4.38 

5.59 

64.8 

6.01 

1.44 

3.50 

1.50 

C.94 

71.7 

5.  IS 

2.16 

1.03 

039 

1.50 

77.5 

4.79 

1.28 

0  91 

3.m 

14.72 

63.1 

S.14 

1.47 

8.34 

8.29 

8.93 

56.0 

5.14 

0.10 

0.33 

1551 

4  37 

49.8 

520 

Trace. 

o.;j8 

14.37 

3.10 

53.5 

5.23 

1.41 

1.53 

5.05 

10.70 

58.45 

5i>0 

1.13 

1.46 

8..13 

4.00 

52.03 

5.Sd 

1.35 

1.43 

8.58 

3.53 

56.6 

6.17 

1.84 

2.85 

4.37 

3.07 

59.2 

S.C9 

3.04 

2.37 

6.43 

10.00 

57.8 

S.30 

0.33 

6.76 

Included  in 
ash. 

10.80 

90.1 

5.70 

0.01 
0.80 

0.»8 
0.67 

0.49 
1.45 
1.14 
1.17 

10.95 
20.75 
24.23 
19.19 

3.96 

7.74 

14.32 

3.23 

474 

5.03 

5.41 

5.69 

1.68 

1.95 

6.63 

4.84 

65.8 

5.22 

0  81 

0.71 

042 

4.96 

71.8 

556 

Trace. 

1.63 

Included  in 
ash. 

2.91 

85.1 

which,  at  present,  is  so  destructive  to  the  comfort  of  our  large 
citie.s.  It  is  easy  I'ronni  analysis  to  examine  whether  the  duty 
performed  by  the  coal  is  to  be  attributed  to  its  fixed  ingredi- 
ents  or  coke,  by  estimating  the  work  which  the  latter  is  capa- 


■I  ■ 


m 


78 


T 


MtLn 


IV. — Showing 


the 


I 


Name  of  Coal. 


Welsh 

Conls. 


'Grnigola 

Anthrncite  (Jonea  and  Aubrey). 

Oldcnstle  Fiery  Vein 

Ward's  Fitry  Vein !"..'.'." 

Hinca  Coal ".....!.!. 

Llangenneck 

IVntrepoth ,* 

I'entrefelin '^^ 

Powel's  DufTryn !.!!!!!!!!. 

Mynydd  Newydd ."...*.'," 

Tliree-quarter  Rock  Vein .!! 

Cwin  Freed  Rock  Vein '. 

Cwm  Nanty-Groa 

Resolven 

Pontypool " 

Hedwaa 

El)l)w  Vale .....'.'...".".*.'...'.'.",*.!, 

rorthniawr  Rock  Vein....'!.....'." 
Coleshill 


Scotch 


"Dalkeith  .Tewel  Seam 

"         Coronation  Seam. 

Coals.     J  Elgin  Wnllsend 

rordel  Splint 

.Giangemouth 


Broomhill  (English).,. 
Slievardagh  (Irish) 


Patent    (  Wylam's  Patent  Fuel. 

Fuels.      iS^"t-,.  "         • 

(  Warlich's         " 


~3  t) 

n  s 

.i  *  — 

•5  S  • 

a  a  ^ 

C9  -3  »- 

a  D  2 


A. 

3t\08 
33,48 
31.49 
3l.4(j 
3l.()4 
32.66 
31.16 
30.52 
3().(J0 

3().:u 

26.152 
28.30 
yii.64 
32.16 
27.46 
28.20 
32.00 
24.78 
26.14 

26.42 
2456 
29.06 
29.00 

28.48 


9A 


,32 


30.10 

28.82 
28.52 
31.50 


2  -  o 
g.S     o 


H. 

2.4i) 
2.60 
2.44 
2.44 
2.46 
2..'-)3 
2.:t9 
237 
2.33 
2.35 
2.06 
2.19 
2.28 
2.50 
2.13 
2.19 
2.48 
1.92 
2.03 

2.05 
1.96 
2.25 
2.25 
2.20 

1.96 

2.33 

2.23 
2.21 
2.44 


blc  of  performing.  This  mny  be  done  by  sul)tractin<r  the 
amount  oi  ashes  in  tlie  cool  from  its  amount  of  coke  (Table 
m.)  and  e.stimating  the  remainder  as  carbon.  Tliis  carbon 
muitip bed  by  Its  heating  power,  13208,  and  divided  by  9(55.7 
or  the  latent  heat  of  steam,  indicates  the  number  of 'pound-s 
ol  water  which  the  coke  ])y  itself  could  evaporate,  without 
nie  aid  ol  the  combuslible  volatile  ingredients  of  the  coal. 
Ihese  results  are  placed  in  column  13.  of  Table  VI.,  in  juxta- 
position with  the  actual  work  done  bv  the  coal,  and  it  will  be 


it 


n 


V.ahi, ,,("('  Values  of  'he  Coals. 


Quantityof  Ox 
gen      iheorel 
cally    required 
by  Carbon  and 
Hydrogen. 

Quantityof  Oxy- 
gen required  by 
Carbon  alone. 

G. 

U. 

2.4!) 

2.26 

y.(iy 

243 

a.  71 

2.34 

a.(;5 

2.34 

iJ.72 

2.36 

a.5!> 

2,28 

a.G!) 

2.36 

y.5;j 

2.28 

2.71 

2.35 

2.fi7 

2.2 

2.34 

2.(10 

2.(12 

2.1!» 

2.47 

9.(18 

2.4!» 

2.1) 

a..-)-) 

2.15 

2.(;() 

2.15 

9.1^0 

2.39 

2  33 

i.oa 

2.28 

1.96 

2.24 

1.98 

2.32 

2(15 

2  38 

2.02 

247 

2.12 

2.4C 

2!l3 

2.G3 

2.18 

2  31 

2.13 

2r)2 

2.13 

2.7.-) 

2.34 

2.84 

2.40 

«    -  c  -=  s 


Ji  «a  i  —  ^i: 


93.4 
97.5 
91.5 
91.5 
92.2 
94.9 
89.6 
89.2 
87.7 
88.5 
77.2 
82.5 
85.5 
93.7 
80.2 
82.1 
93.0 
72.0 
7G.1 

76.8 
73.5 

84.7 

84.7 
82.8 

73.5 

87.7 

84.0 
83.2 
91.5 


i: 


*        '^    %!  -«  ..C  li 
3  u,        (0  C" 


SS 


CO    (71  .S 
S)  CJ  —    3 


F. 

72.66 
75.73 
71.16 
71.25 
71.66 
73.97 
70.57 
69.13 
67  95 
68.72 
60.29 
64.10 
67.13 
72.84 
62.19 
63.87 
72.48 
56.12 
59.21 

59.84 
55.63 
65.82 
65.68 
64.51 

57.35 

70.44 

C5.27 
64.59 
71.35 


^'i 


■m 


seen,  that  notwithstandinfr  several  striking:  exceptions,  which 
might  liav(;  ])een  expected,  tliey  on  the  whoU'  show  tliat  the 
work  ca])ahle  of  beinji;  peribrmed  by  the  coke  alone,  is  ac- 
tually greater  than  that  obtained  by  experiments  with  the 
original  coal. 

The  whole  system  of  mnniifacturing  coke  is  at  present 
very  imperi'ect.  Besides  losing  the  volatile  combustible 
substances,  which  under  new  adjustments  might  be  made  of 
much  value,  an  immense  (quantity  of  ammonia  is  lost  b}- being 


ill 

I 


80 


Table  Y. — Showing  the  Amount  of  Vnrimts  Substances 


Name. 


4 


Welsh 
Coals. 


< 


'  Grnigoln 

Anthracite,  from  Jones,  Aubrey  &  Co. 

Old  Castle  Fiery  Vein 

Ward's  Fiery  Vein 

Binea  

Uangenneck  


93.9 

79.8 


88,10 
&.3.G9 


Eh 


12 

None. 
5.8G 
1.80 
2  08 
1.22 


thrown  into  the  atmosphere.    Ammonia  and  it.s  sahs  are  daily 
becon^ing  more  valuable  to  njrncultnre,  and  it  is  their  com- 
parative high  price  alone,  which  j)revent.-<  their  nniver.snl  nse 
to  all  kind.s  of  cereal  cultivation.     By  a  construction  of"  the 
most  simple  kind,  the  coke  ovens  now  in  use  might  be  made 
to  economise  much  of  the  nitrogen  which  invai-iably  escapes 
in  the  form  of  ammonia.     As  an  inducement  to  this  economy 
\ve  have  appended   to  Table  VI.  two  eolimms  (H.   and  I.',) 
showmg  the  quantity  of  ammonia  (N  11.^,)  and  its  corresiiond- 
ing  quantity  of  commercial  sulphate  (\  IT,  O,  S  0„)  which 
each  100  Ib.s.  of  the  respective  coals  may  be  made  toproduce. 
*.  aen  It  is  remembered,  that  the  price  of  sulphate  of  ammo- 
nia Ls  abou^  £\S  per  ton,  or  that  100  tons  in  coking  is  capa- 
ble  of  producing,  on  an  average,  about  0  tons  of  this  salt,  its 
neglect  is  highly  ^-eprehensible. 

By  the  preceding  data,  the  actual  value  of  the  coals  will 
be  contrasted  with  that  which  is  theoretically  i)ossible.  sup- 
posing their  combustion  proceed(>d  inider  circumstances  which 
prevented  any  loss  of  heat.  The  actual  duty  obtained  by  a 
pound  of  coal  from  the  boiler  enrploved  may  be  easily  'ex- 
pressed by  the  number  of  pounds  raised  to  the  height  o)  one 
foot.  This  result  may  readily  be  olitained  by  the  simple  for- 
mula—  * 

W  ^  X  005.7  X  7H2  =  X, 
W  repre.senting  water,  of  which  '/  pounds  are  evaporated  bv 
a  pouaJ  of  coal.     This  formula  is  deduced  from  the  fact  that 
V  pounds  of  water  multiplied  by  905.7,^  or  the  co-ellicient  jbr 

•The  co-efficient  for  the  Intent  heat  of  steam  at  212°  is  g-^nerally  taken  at  1000* 
but  the  above  numler  is  from  the  recent  exiieriments  of  Reanauk  on  this  subiect* 
«s  giveu  in  Table  '.  ■'     * 


81 
prodnc  d  by  the  destructive  Distillation  of  certain  Coals. 


-6 

1 

a    1 

g:  o 

St — 

« 

u 

rs 

U^ 

«•§ 

c 

.2 

e 
o 

'a 

-trj  c 

S 

1 

1 

1 

Sulph 
gen 

Olefia 
and 
Carb 

Other 
infla 

3.1 

0.17 

2.79 

Traces. 

0.2.3 

7.01 

9,87 

020 

0.06 

0  04 

? 

3.93 

3.39 

0.35 

0.44 

0.12 

0.27 

9.77 

3.01 

0.24 

1.80 

0.21 

0.21 

3.58 

0.08 

1.68 

0.09 

0.31 

4.08 

4.07 

0.08 

3.21 

0.02 

0.43 

7.28 

the  latent  heat  of  steam  at  212^,  indicates  the  number  of 
pounds  of  water  which  would  be  raised  1°  Fah.;  and  the 
number  7H2  arises  from  experiment  on  the  mechanical  force 
denoted  by  the  elevation  of  a  pound  of  water  1^  Fah.;  that 
force  bein<?  equal  to  782  lbs.,  raised  to  the  height  of  one  foot, 
according  to  the  careful  experiments  of  Mr.  Joule,  on  the 
friction  of  oil,  water,  and  mercury. 

The  theoretical  value  of  the  coals,  with  reference  to  the 
number  of  pounds  of  water  which  one  pound  of  fuel  will 
convert  into  steam,  is  obtained  by  the  formula — 

/C  X  l.S208\       /H— A  X  ()2470\  _ 
V      005.7      y  ■*"  \  9(55.7  J  ~^ 

in  which  C  is  the  quantity  of  carbon,  II  the  quantity  of  hy- 
drogen in  a  unit  ot'  fuel,  and  h  the  quantity  of  hydrogen  cor- 
responding to  the  oxygen  contained  in  the  coal.  These  mul- 
tiplied by  their  heating  powers,  according  to  the  results  of 
Dulong,  and  divided  by  the  latent  heat  of  .steam,  indicate  the 
number  of  pounds  of  water  that  can  be  converted  into  the 
latter  by  a  pound  of  coal.  The  numbers  thus  obtained  can 
be  changed  into  the  expression  of  mechanical  force,  by  the 
previous  formula". 

The  results  of  these  calculations  are  thrown  into  Table 
VI.-_(5:re  i)ages  80-81.) 

The  best  Corni.sh  engines  are  .stated  to  raise  1,000,000  lbs, 
to  the  height  of  one  foot,  by  every  pound  of  coal  consumed  ; 
so  that  only  about  |  of  the  actual  force  generated  becomes 
available,  or  only  ^y  or  tV  of  the  force  theoretically  possible, 
is  api)lied  in  practice.  The  various  experiments  made  on 
boiler.s,  wath  regard  to  the  evaporative  power  of  coal,  have 
not  given  very  uniform  results.    Smeaton,  in  1772,  with  one 


4 


83 


Hi 


Tadle  Yl—Shoidn^  the  Actual  Duty,  and  thut 


Nome  or  Locality  of  coal. 


Graigoln 

Anthracite,  (Jonef,  Aubrey,  &  Co'} 

Oldcastle  Fiery  Vein 

Ward's  Fiery  Vein 

Binea 

Llangenneck  

Pentrepotli 

Pentrefeiin *** 

Powell's  DufTryn .'.." 

Mynydd  Newydd 

Tliree-quarter  Rock  Vein 

Cwm  Frood  Rock  Vein 

Cwm  Nanty  Gros ',. 

Resolven 

Pontypool ]' 

Bed  was 

Ebbw  Vale .*, 

Porthmnwr  Rock  Vein " 

Coleshill 

Dalkeith  Jewel  Seam 

Dalkeith  Coronation 

Wallsend  Elgin ..\ 

Fordel  Splint [[[', 

Grangemouth 

Broomhill 

Park  End,  Lydney 

Slievardagh  (Irish) 

ForBJosn  Island 

Borneo  (Labuan  kind) .',.'. 

"        3  feet  seam 

"      U        «         

Wylam's  Patent  Fuel ^,., 

Warlich's  " 

Bell's 


Practical. 


9.52 


8,!»2 

io.;i() 

S.5J 


o  a 


o  a 


■  ^  o 


11.500 

1(1591) 

10.873 

10.841 

11.134 

y.831 

7.081 

8.fi28 

8.2J3 

10.234 

8.144 

8897 

10.441 

()  G47 

C.4(i8 

«.23!) 

6.924 

6.5G0 

C.5(iO 

7.292 

7.711 

G.507 

10.895 


8.378 

11.292 

9.1G8 


II-     - 


Theoreti- 
cal. 


C, 

ii.(i(;o 

12  5fi3 
12.04(1 
12.072 
12.181 
11.741 
12.189 
11.749 
12.12(5 
11.4G3 
10.325 
11.300 
10.707 
10,899 
11.088 
11.075 
12.335 
10.263 
10.1.45 
10.242 
10.570 
10.454 
10.933 
10.970 
11.225 
10.101 
10.995 
10.752 
8.864 
7.461 
9.652 
11.186 
12.368 
12.074 


h*     m     ti 

t;  Id  — 

O    2     4* 
K  .S    9 

£  c  **  *'" 


Theoreti- 
cal, 


D. 

1.903 

2.(J3(» 

2.890 

2.543 

2.912 

2.519 

2.649 

2.038 

2.966 

3.441 

2.781 

3.488 

3.165 

3.072 

3.207 

3.766 

3. ,300 

2  548 

2.654 

2.071 

2.202 

2.968 

2^884 

2.722 

3.638 

3.156 

1.487 

2.801 

1.388 

1.295 

1.948 

3.145 

3..')96 

3.343 


pound  of  Newcasllo  coal,  evaporated  7.88  ll)s.  of  water  fi-om 
212^;  Watt,  in  1788,  came  to  the  conclu.sion  that  1,G2  ll).><.  of 
water  nii<>:ht  be  evaporated  by  the  .^nme  (jiiaiititvof  coal ;  and 
later  (m  1840,)  Wicksteed  found  ihrit  1   lb.  of  M.Tthvr  coal 


83 


which  is  thcoreticttlly  possiblCfOf  the  Coals  examined. 


iTota!  number  of  lbs.  of 
Water  convertible  into 
Steam  by  1  lb.  of  Coal. 

Actua!  force  generated, 
or  the  number  of  lbs. 
which  1  lb.  of  the  Coat 
could     raise     to     the 
heiglit  of  I  foot. 

Force  capable  of  being 
generated,  or  number 
of  lbs.  which  could  be 
raised  to  the  height  of 
1  foot  by!  lb.  of  Coal. 

Amount  of  AinmonJa  corres- 
ponding to  the  .Nitrogen  con- 
tained in  Coal. 

t  of  Sulphate  of  Am- 
correBponding  to  the 
en  contained  in  Coa). 

Theoretical. 

Colcutated  front 
heat  obtained. 

Theoretical. 

K. 

F. 

U. 

Ih 

1. 

i3.r)(].i 

7.000.908 

10.242.471 

0.497 

J  332 

14.593 

7.143.978 

11.020.303 

0.225 

0.990 

14.y3<5 

6.751.285 

11.279.329 

1.590 

6.175 

14.(114 

7.098.007 

11.036.102 

1.238 

4.808 

1. '5.093 

7.500.4(;3 

11.397.893 

1.586 

6.741 

14.2(i(» 

«;.0!)0871 

10.768.829 

1.299 

5.044 

14.b38 

«.585.14« 

11.205.322 

0.218 

0.848 

13.787 

4.802.928 
7.<!04.295- 

10.411.630 
11.397.137 

Trace. 
1.76 

15.093 

6  835 

14.904 

7.189.288 

11.255.103 

J. 808 

7.340 

13.100 

6.075.708 

9.897.355 

1.299 

5.044 

14.788 

(5.570.043 

11.1G7.563 

1.347 

S.232 

13.932 

6.358.593 

10.521.13! 

1.919 

7.448 

13.971 

7.190  840 

10.550,5^3 

1.G7S 

€.505 

14.29'» 

5.041.175 

10.795.200 

1.639 

6.364 

14.841 

7.393. 18G 

11.207.587 

1.748 

6.788 

ir).fi:j5 

7.710.301 

11.025.198 

2.022 

10.182 

12.811 

5.080.485 

9.074.577 

1.554 

6.033 

12.799 

6.041.419 

9.005. 515 

1.785 

6.930 

12.313 

5.34G.G55 

9.298.499 

1.214 

0.471 

12.772 

5.822.417 

9.045.125 

Trace. 

13.422 

6.388.800 

10.135.99) 

1.712 

6.647 

13817 

5.709.141 

10.434.286 

1.372 

5.327 

il3.fi92 

5.588.312 

10.339.888 

1.639 

6.364 

14.803 

5.512.795 

11.224.201 

9  234 

8.674 

13.257 

6.434.111 

10.011.386 

1.4T7 

0.617 

12.482 

7.438.497 

9.426.124 

0.2'.:; 

1.084 

13.553 

10.234.919 

7.742.078 

0.777 

0.9  V  7 

3  017 

10.252 

3.771 

8.750 

6.612.333 

1.13ii 

4.620 

11.000 

• *  •*. . 

8.7^0.057 

0.813 

3.158 

.4.331 

6.730.182 

10.822.4!  7 

2  040 

7.920 

15.904 

7.823.037 
6.44 1. 6G3 

12.055.652 
11.642.569 

Trace. 
0.983 

15.417 

3.818 

could  be  mado  to  tnaporafe  '>.40'l  lb  of  water  from  80=*, 
which  is  ('(ina!  to  10.710  lbs.  from  Sia^,  In  .s.'  me  experi- 
menis  madi;  on  the  boiler  of  tlic  Loam'^  •  i;,nne,  at  thr  United 
Mipps  in  Cornwu'.l,  each  pound  of  coal  vvcm  found,  by  a  trial 


WM 


84 


of  six  months,  to  evaporate  U).19  lbs.  of  wafer  from  212% 
this  being  the  reduction  of  the  result  given,  viz.,  that  231,210 
cubic  feet  of  water  at  102°  were  evaporated  bv  700  tons  of 
coal.  Statements  have  indeed  been  made  that  14  lbs.  of  wa- 
ter have  been  evaporated  by  1  lb.  of  coal  burn,  d  in  Cornish 
boilers  ;  but  as  this  is  the  utmost  quantity  thporctically  pos. 
sible,  it  is  dilRcult  to  conceive  that  it  has  been  realized  in 
practice,  even  in  the  best-constructed  steam-engines. 

To  ascertain  how  far  our  boiler  was  inferior  to  Cornish 
boilers,  as  principally  from  its  small  size  and  less  efficient 
coatmg  it  was  likely  to  prove,  we  requested  Mr.  Phillips  to 
make  some  experiments  on  one  of  the  best  engines  in  Corn- 
wall,  the  results  of  which  are  given  in  the  Appendix,  Section 
II.  It  was  found  by  these  experiments,  thnt  11.42  lbs.  of  wa- 
ter  were  evaporated  by  every  pound  of  Welsh  coal  corres- 
ponding  in  composition  to  that  of  xAIynydd  Newydd;  or,  in  other 
words,  that  improved  Cornish  boilers  on  a  large  scale  may  be 
assumed  to  have  a  superiority  of  nearlv  20  per  cent,  over  that 
used  in  these  experiments.  As  the  results  stated  in  this  Re- 
port are  only  relative,  the  comparison  is  not  aftected  by  this 
dinerenee. 

We  have  anxiously  looked  to  the  application  of  these  ex- 
periments to  the  dili'erent  varieties  of  patent  fuel,  but  we  have 
not  been  able  to  carry  out  our  observations  in  this  direction 
to  the  extent  we  could  have  desired,  from  our  inability  to 
procure  patent  fuels  in  sufficient  numl)er,  although  our  appH- 
cations  to  the  patentees  have  been  immerous.  Three  varie- 
ties have  been  already  examined,  viz.,  those  manufactured 
under  the  patents  of  Messrs.  Wylam,  Warlich,  and  Bell,  and 
the  results  are  given  in  the  Tables.  The  varieties  of  patent 
fuel  are  generally  made  up  in  the  shape  of  bricks,  and  are 
therefore  well  adapted  for  stowage;  so  that,  though  the 
specific  gravity  of  patent  fuels  is  lower  than  that  of  ordinary 
coals,  from  their  shape  and  mechanical  structure,  there  are 
very  few  coals  which  could  be  stowed  in  a  smaller  space  per 
ton.  While  we  look  to  the  diffi^rent  varieties  of  paient  fuel 
as  of  the  highest  importance,  and,  from  their  facility  of  stow- 
age, as  being  peculiarly  adapted  for  naval  purposes,  and  per- 
haps even  destined  to  supersede  ordinary  coal,  at  the  .same 
time,  the  greater  part  do  not  appear  to  be  manuiactured  with 
a  proper  regard  to  the  conditions  required  for  war  steamers. 
It  is  usual  to  mix  bituminous  or  tarry  matter  with  bituminou.s 
coal,  and  from  this  compound  to  make  the  fuel.  An  assimi- 
lation to  the  best  steam  coals  would  indicate,  hov/ever,  the 
very  reverse  process,,  and  point  to  the  mixture  of  a  more  an- 


B5 


thracitic  coal  with  the  bituminous  cement.  As  the  greater 
part  Is  at  present  made,  il  is  almost  impi.ssihle  to  prevent  the 
emission  of  dense  opa(|ue  smoke,  a  circumstance  extremely 
inconvenient  to  ships  of  war,  as  hetrayinj;;  their  position  at  a 
distance  at  times  when  it  is  desirable  to  conceal  it.  Hesides 
this  and  other  inconveniencies,  the  verv  bituminous  varieties 
are  not  well  suited  to  hot  climates,  and  are  as  liable  to  spo» 
taneous  eombustion  as  certain  kinds  of  coal.  To  avoid  th.  c 
inconveniences,  some  kinds  of  palent  fuels  have  been  sl  '  • 
jectcd  to  a  sort  of  eokinjr,  and  thus,  in  a  great  measure,  oi, 
tain  the  desired  conditions.  There  is  little  doubt,  however, 
that  notwithstanding  the  large  number  of  patents  in  opera- 
lion  for  the  manufacture  of  fuel,  its  value  for  the  purposes  of 
war  steamers  might  be  much  enhanced  by  its  preparation 
being  specially  directed  to  this  object.  It  will  be  seen,  by  re- 
ference to  Table  II.,  that  ihe  three  patent  fu(>ls  examined  rank 
among  the  highest  results  obtained.  Should  it  be  desirable  to 
cotitinue  this  in([uirj-,  we  conceive  that  it  would  be  advanta- 
geous to  pay  especial  attention  to  this  subject,  by  experiment- 
ing upon  proper  mistures  of  dill'erent  coals.  Kven  anthracite 
may  l)e  introduced  into  such  mixtures  with  advantage. 

It  is  of  much  importance  in  an  economical  impiiry  on  coals, 
to   obtain  exact    information    as  to    the  ellects   likely  to  be 

{)roduccd  U|)on  them  by  stowage,  and  continued  exposure  to 
jigh  temperature,  not  only  as  rej2:ards  their  deterioration,  but 
also  as  to  the  emission  of  dangerous  gases  by  their  progres- 
sive ehansjes. 

The  retention  of  coal  in  lion  bunkei*s,  if  these  are  likely  tr 
he  Intliuneed  by  moisture,  and  •■specially  when  by  any  acci- 
dent wetted  with  sea  Water,  will  cause  a  speedy  corrosion  of 
the  iron,  with  a  rapidity  proportionate  to  its  more  or  lesseifi- 
eient  protei.'tion  from  corroilinj;  inlluenees.  This  corrosion 
weems  due  to  the  action  of  carbon  or  coal  forming  with  he 
iron  a  voltaic  eoujde,  and  thus  promotinjr  oxidation.  ThcJ  c- 
I'lon  is  similar  to  that  of  the  tubercular  concretions  which  ap- 

fjear  on  the  inside  of  iron  water-pipes,  when  a  piece  of  ear- 
)on,  nor  chemically  combined  with  the  metal,  and  in  contact 
with  saline  waters,  produces  a  speedy  corrosion.  Where  the 
*•  make"  of  iron  shows  it  to  be  liabU?  to  be  thus  corroded,  a 
mechanical  protection  is  generally  found  sullicient.  This  is 
Kometimes  given  by  Koman  cement,  by  a  lining  of  wood,  or 
by  .a  dryiiig  oil  driven  'inUt  the  pores  of  the  iron  utuler  great 
pressure. 

Ileecnt  researches  on  tlie  jrases  evolved  from  coal,  prove  that 
carbotilo  aeitl  and  nitrogen  are  constantly  mixed  with  the  in- 


In 


I 


66 

flammable  portion,  shoAvinj?  that  the  coal  must  Ktiil  he  uniting 
with  the  oxygen  ol"  the  atmo.sj)here,  and  entering  into  further 
deeay. 

Decay  is  merely  a  combustion  proceeding  without  flame, 
and  is  ahvaysi  attended  with  the  production  of  heat.  The  gas 
evolved  durinj;  the  progress  of  decay,  in  free  air,  consists  prin- 
cipally of  carbonic  acid,  a  gas  very  injurious  to  animal  life. 
It  is  well  known  thnt  this  chnnge  in  coal  proceeds  more 
rapidly  at  an  elevatr'd  temperature,  and  therefore  is  liable  to 
take  place  in  hot  climates.  Dryness  is  unfavorable  to  the 
change,  while  moisture  causes  it  to  proceed  with  rapidity. 

When  sulj)hur  or  iron  pyrites  (a  compound  of  sulphur  and 
iron)  is  present  in  considerable  (p^autity  in  a  coal  still  chang- 
ing under  the  action  of  the  atmosphere,  a  second  powerful 
heating  cnuse  is  introduced,  and  both  acting  togetla^r,  may 
produce  wliat  is  termed  s/)oiif(/nf'oiis  vonihustum,  ']'he  latter 
cause  is  itself  sufificient,  if  there  be  an  unusual  proportion  of 
sulphur  or  iron  pyrites  present. 

The  best  method  of  ])revention,  in  all  such  cases,  is  to  en- 
BUre  perfect  dryness  in  the  coals  when  they  are  stowed  away, 
and  to  select  a  variety  of  fuel  not  liable  to  the  progressive  de- 
composition to  which  allusion  has  been  made.  This  is,  h(»w- 
ever,  ;i  subject  of  so  much  import.'ince  to  the  steam  navy,  that 
it  continues  to  receive  our  careful  attention  ;  .and,  beyond 
these  general  recommendations,  it  would  be  premature  to  of- 
fer any  decided  course  for  adoj)tion,  from  the  present  limited 
series  of  observations. 

Several  varieties  of  coal  were  transmitted  from  Formosa 
and  from  Borneo,  tor  analysis,  the  resnlis  of  which  are  con- 
tained in  the  nceompnnying  table.  The  quantity  of  each 
kind  was  so  small,  that  no  experiments  could  be  made  on  their 
evaporative  value.  Wo  extract  from  the  preceding  table  the 
following  results : — 


Nome. 


I  i 

a 
O 


e 
o 

"9 


I      c 

4« 

hm 

6fl 

9 

C 

JS 

a. 

^ 

r% 

Formosa  rsland 76.20.  5.70 

Borneo,  Labuan  kind 64  ."52  '  4.74 

"      Sfeeteeam 54.31  |  5.03 

"      11  feet  seam 70.33  5.41 


,    0.64 

1 
0.49 

0.80 

1.45 

0.98 

1.14 

0.«7 

1.17 

e 

X 

O 


10.95 
20.75 
24.22 
11>.1S) 


396 

7.74 

14.32 

3.23 


^5- 


1.94 

las 

137 
1.31 


It  may  he  desinahle  to  sum  up,  in  a  few  wonis,  some  of  the 
principal  points  alluded  to  in  the  previous  parts  of  this  Uepurt. 


'% 


cTcs 


6 

1.94 

4 

1.28 

9 

137 

3 

1.31 

87 

It  has  been  sho  a  that  the  true  practical  value  of  coals  (or 
steam  purposes  (Spends  upon  a  coiubination  of  ipialitit'S  which 
could  only  h«  clicite<l  hv  carefully  and  properly  continued  ex- 
periments. Their  qualities,  so  far  as  regards  steam-ships  of 
war,  mav  be  stated  as  follows : 

1.  The  fuel  should  hum  so  that  steam  may  he  raised  in  a 
short  [)eriod,  if  this  he  desired  :  iti  other  words,  it  should 
be  able  to  produce  a  cjuick  action. 

8.  It  should  possess  high  cvaj)orative  power,  that  is,  he  ca- 
pable of  converting  much  water  into  steam,  with  a 
small  consumption  of  coal. 

3.  It  should  not   be   bituminous,  lest  so  mUch  smoke  be 

generated  ns  to  betray  the  position  of  ships  of  war 
when  it  is  desirable  that  this  should  be  concealed. 

4.  It  should  possess  considerable  cohesion  of  its  particles, 

so  that  it  may  not  be  broken  into  too  small  fragments 
by  the  constant  attrition  which  it  may  experience  in 
the  vessel. 

5.  It  should  combine  a  considerable  density  with  such  me- 

chanical structure  that  it  may  easily  be  stowed  away 
in  small  space ;  a  condition  which,  in  coals  of  equal 
evaporative  values,  often  involves  a  dillerenceof  more 
than  W  per  cent. 
0.  It  should  be  free  frtjm  any  considerable  jjuantity  of  sul- 
phur, and  should  not  progressively  <lecay,  both  of  which 
circumstances  render  it  liable  to  spontaneous  combus- 
tion. 

It  never  happens  that  all  these  conditions  are  united  in  one 
coal.  To  take  an  instance,  anthracite  has  very  high  evapo- 
rative power,  but  not  being  trasily  ignited,  is  not  suited  for 
quick  action;  it  has  great  cohesion  in  its  particles,  and  is  not 
easily  broken  up  by  attrition,  but  it  is  not  a  caking  coal,  and 
therefore  would  not  cohere  in  the  furnace  when  the  ship  rolled 
in  a  gale  of  wind  ;  it  emits  no  smoke,  but  from  the  intensity 
of  its  ctMnbustion  causes  the  iron  of  the  bars  and  boilers  to 
oxidate  or  waste  away  rapidly.  Thus,  then,  with  some  pre- 
eminent advantages,  it  has  disadvantages  which,  under  ordi- 
nary circumstances,  preclude  its  use.  The  conditions  above 
alluded  to  may,  however,  often  be  united  in  fuels  artificially 
prepared  from  coals  possessing  these  various  qualities,  some- 
wh;tt  in  the  manner  of  what  are  usually  termed  "patent 
fuel!*,"  and  we  Have  recommended  that  experiments  should  be 
made  with  this  object,  especially  directed  to  the  wants  of  the 
>»:eani  navy.     Whilst  we  look  with  this  view  to  artificial  fuel 


88 

as  Iteing  of  special  Importance,  it  was  cpiitc  liccessJiry  to  ob- 
tain a  knowledge  of  coals  in  diflVrcnt  ilistricts,  and,  'for  this 
purpose,  AVales  was  first  selected  for  cxaminnfion,  as  produc* 
in^'  coals  of  all  kind.s,  varying  from  bituminous  to  nniliraritc. 

While  the  experiments  devised  toobtain  luiormiition  on  the 
various  points  alluded  to  have  been  conducted  with  all  pr«»- 
pcr  precaution,  in  order  that  constant  tymi/ntrative  results 
mi^dit  be  proeured,  they  have  not  been  overburdened  with 
Kcientiilc  corrections,  which  might  have  been  necessary  tool), 
tain  absolute  truth,  but  would  have  introduced  an  alleciation 
of  aeeuraey  where  pructieal  results  only  were  required  ;  to 
the  latter,  thorelbre,  this  Report  has  !)een  prinei])ally  conlined. 
The  K*>port  has  been  so  divid«'d  as  to  bring  the  results  log«"fher 
without  complicating  them  with  the  details  of  the  properties 
peculiar  to  each  coal,  information  on  whieh  is  of  the  highest 
value.  Hence,  in  Table  IJ.,  the  practical  r»'sults  of  the  expe- 
riments are  brought  tog«'ther,  while  th<^  e«|ually  praelieal  in- 
formation regarding  each  eoal,  its  h)eal  po.-.itioti',  the  p«Mt  from 
whence  it  is  shipped,  its  price,  its  peculiar  charaef eristics  in 
burning,  the  greater  or  less  ipiajitity  of  smoke  and  of  ashes 
which  it  produ<-es,  the  description  of  the  coal,  its  geologieal 
position,  and  other  similar  points  of  imporlanee  in  practice, 
are  detailed  for  eaeh  eonl  in  Section  II.  of  the  Appendix. 

'I  he  composition  and  speciiie  gravities  of  the  eoals.  and  the 
quantity  of  coke  whieh  lliey  produce,  are  given  \n  Table  III., 
not  only  as  a  means  Cor  their  future  identilieation,  hut  also  as 
a  standard  of  quality,  with  rel.-ition  to  whieh  i)arti«'ular  kinds 
may  be  purchased.  The  amount  of  sulphur,  as  given  in  this 
table,  is  of  considerable  importance  in  d«'te?mining  the  value 
of  the  coal  ff>r  naval  purjjoses,  as  a  means  of  avoiding  the 
risk  of  spontaneous  combusti<m. 

The  heating  values  of  the  eoal  are  given  in  Table  IV.,  as 
a  simpler  and  more  ready  method  of  idtmtitieation,  enabling 
tbe  purchaser  to  insure  the  sample  of  the  coal  of  a  certain 
heating  value. 

Table  V.  shows  how  the  inquiry  might  easily  be  extended 
to  other  branches  of  national  industry,  especially  to  gas  manu- 
factures, but  is  only  adduced  as  an  example  of  its  applica- 
bility for  such  purposes. 

Tahle  VI.  is  principally  for  the  purpose  of  showing  that  the 
actual  duty  obtained  hy  the  condnistion  of  coal  in  the  best  aj»- 
plied  practice  is  only  a  smnll  part  of  that  which  the  fuel  is 
capable  of  pr<idueing,  and  is  brought  forward  as  an  induce- 
ment to  improvement  in  the  construction  of  the  furnaces  and 
boilers  en)ployed  for  tbe  production  of  steam.     Attention  in 


.i^._- 


69 


nl?i-»  drawn  in  fliis  tnl)lc  to  tlic  great  loss  vlucli  ngrlculdirc 
sndrrs  l)y  tlio  waste  ol'  amuuMiia  always  producod  in  the 
coldiii;  of  coal,  .'tnd  whicli  miglit  Ui  ix  prcat  extent  be  ocono- 
mi.H'd  hy  very  .sinij)Iu  ndjusinicufs  to  tlic  ovens  used  in  cok- 
ing. TJic  tM.ronoiny  and  c()nsc(jucnt.  reduction  of  price  in  llio 
annnoiiiacnl  sails,  by  i)n'vcnfing  this  great  loss  in  a  material 
so  well  fitted  to  aid  incnvnsed  produetiuu  in  land,  would  be  a 
jjrent  boon  to  a<;rieul(ure.  Nu^geslions  Ijmvo  also  been 
thrown  out  ris  to  the  more  ccononiieal  application  of  fuel  for 
domestic  and  for  mniuifaotin-ini,'  purj)o.sc.s. 

in  cone.iudinf^  tliis  First  Report,  wc  cnnnot  refrain  from 
drawinj^  attention  to  tlie  kind  manner  in  whiehwc  have  been 
assisted  by  various  public  find  private  institutions  and  com- 
panies, without  whose  aid  the  expenses  of  the  inipiiry  woidd 
have  been  materially  increasefl. 

The  College,  for  Civil  Etigiueers,  at  Putney,  afforded  us, 
gratuitously,  ground  upon  whirdi  to  ereet  tho'boilers,  and  a 
house  and  yard  for  the  stowage  of  the  coals.  The,  laboratory 
and  workshops  of  the  eollege  were  also  plaecd  at  the  dispo- 
sal of  the  investigation,  and  have  constantly  be«>n  used.  The 
I'rinoipal  of  the  College,  the  jlt.'v.  Mr.  Cowie,  on  all  oeca- 
jsions,  allbrdcd  h\n  valual)le  aid  in  the  pruseculion  of  the  ex- 
periments. 

The  owners  of  the  collieries,  from  which  the  coals  were  ob- 
tained, furnished  them  free  of  expense;  and  the  Great  Wes- 
tern IJailway  Company,  with  an  enlightened  liberality,  car- 
ried those  sent  to  liristol  on  their  railway  to  London  without 
charge.  To  JNIr.  George  Uennie,  the  eminent  engineer,  the 
inquiry  is  especially  indebted.  This  gentleman  not  only  lent 
a  tubular  boiler,  gratuitously,  to  enable  the  experiments  to 
be  repeated  on  this  kind  of  boiler,  but  he  alsoollered  his  pre- 
mises for  the  prosecution  of  the  exi)eriments,  which  oiler  was 
nccept(Ml,  until  the  larger  space  at  the  College  for  Civil  Engi- 
neers was  placed  at  the  disposal  of  the  investigation. 

Such  ready  and  liberal  co-operation  of  the  public  shows 
their  appreciation  of  the  important  practical  results  which 
may  be  expected  from  these  experiments.  Seeing  the  present 
ellective  state  of  the  boilers  and  other  apparatus  erected  at 
Putney,  consctiuently,  that  the  expenditure  on  this  account 
has  been  incurred,  and  that  any  further  charges  for  continu- 
ing these  investigations  would  chieily  consist  of  payments  of 
salaries  to  the  persons  employed  as  assistants,  we  would  sug- 
gest for  consideration,  that  these  experiments  may])e  extend- 
ed to  the  coals  of  other  districts  than  those  the  coals  from 
which  have  been  examined,  and  that  the  needful  expenditure 


!!:ii 


A 


00 


may  be  sanctioned  for  one  or  two  years  more.    Should  this 
be  deemed  advisable,  we  should  anticipate  that  a  most  im- 
portant body  of  information  would   be  accuuiulafed,  alike 
in»|)Oitant  to  the  naval  .service  and  the  public  at  Ihv^q. 
We  have  the  honor  to  be,  &(\, 

II.  T.  Dr  La  IkcHE, 
LvoN  Plavkair, 


REMARKS  ON  THE  FOREGOING  REPORT. 

By  moans  of  tlie  above  report  on  British  coals,  and  his  own 
trials  on  American  coals.the  writer  has  been  enabled  to  insti- 
tute a  series  of  comparisons,  not  only  between  the  several 
classes,  but  in  some  cases  directly  between  individual  .samples 
having  a  similar  constitution  an*d  ai)par(>ntly  the  same  physi- 
cal characters.  The  extent  and  other  circumstances  of  the  re- 
searches may  also  be  compared.  The  number  of  .samples  of 
fuel  tested  at  Washington  in  184.'J,  was  Jorti/fice;  and  the 
time  devoted  to  the  whole  investigation,  one  y<'ar  and  eight 
months ;  the  number  tj-ied  at  London  was  thir)ij-om\  and  the 
time  employed  two  year.s  and  six  months.  Of  tlie  American, 
eight  were  anthracites,  ten  were  free  burning,  semi-bituminous 
coals  of  Pennsylvania  and  Maryland;  ten  highly  bituminous 
coals  of  eastern  Virginia;  six  similar  bituminous  coals  of 
England, Scotland,  and  Nova  Scotia;  tuQwv^xwn  bituminous 
coals;  one,  "natural  coke'*  of  Virginia;  two,  artificial  cokes; 
two^  mixtures  of  anthracite  and  bituminou.s  coal,  and  one-  nine 
wood. 

Of  the  British  series,  two  were  anthracites,  ten*  were  free 
burning  coals  of  Wales,  eight  highly  bituminous  coals  of 
Wales,  (resembling  those  of  eastern  Virginia,)  /mo,  English, 
and  jive,  Scotch  coals  of  high  bituminousness ;  three  were 
patent  fuels,  and  one  wa.s  wood,  species  not  stated. 

MANNER  OP  OBTAINING  THE  SAMPI.KS  FOR  TRIAL, 

The  coals  for  the  British  experiments  were  generally  se- 
lected  by  one  of  the  assistants  visiting  the  several  mining  dis- 
tricts, and  detei-mining  which  coals  should  be  allowed  to 
enter  into  the  competition.  The  American  Samples  were 
mostly  sent  by  the  proprietors  of  mines  under  a  general  invi- 
tation from  the  Navy  Department. 

•  The  Welsh  free  burning  coals  are  the  Graigola,  Old  Castle  fiery  vein. 
Ward's  fiery  vein,  Binea,Llangenneck,  Duffryn,  Mynydd-Newvdd,  Reeotven,  Bed- 
was,  and  Ebbw-Vale. 


I  »  '■:■.  - 


91 


EVAPORATING   APPARATUS. 


I 


The  evaporating  vossols  used  in  tlic  Amnrican  and  in  the 
British  rosearchos  were  diliVreut  in  construction.  In  the  former 
case,  the  vessel  was  a  cylindrioal  boiler  thirty  feet  in  h'ii<;lh, 
(the  furnace  being  beneath  the  boih-r,)  tinre  and  a-half  feet 
in  diameter,  having  two  interior  return  flues,  each  one  foot  in 
diameter,  and  side  Ihies  exterior  to  the  boiler,  by  means  of 
Wliieh  the  gases  went  completely  roinid  tiic  boiler,  after  re- 
turnit^g  through  tliC  interior  iiues,  making  tlie  entire  lengtli  of 
circuit  for  the  products  of  combustion  from  the  centre  of  the 
prat«j  under  the  boiler  to  their  entrance  into  the  eiiimney,  121 
feet.  The  grate  surface  was  Kij  square  feet,  and  the  area  of 
heat-absorbing  surface,  377^  S(piar(j  f(>et,  so  that  the  ratio  of 
grate-surface  to  absoibing  surface  was  as  1  to  23|.  The 
chimney  was  03  feet  high,  witli  a  cross  section  of  32  4  square 
inches. 

Tiie  British  Commissioners  used  a  boiler  of  the  Cornish  form, 
twelve  feet  long  and  four  feet  in  external  diamet(>r,  having 
an  interior  tlue  two  feet  in  diameter,  within  which  the  fire 
was  built.  Tlic  products  of  combustion,  having  traversed  this 
fl«i%  returned  in  a  divided  current  through  side  flues  exterior 
to  the  boiler,  and  linally  in  a  united  current  passed  under  the 
boiler  to  the  chinniey,  making  a  circuit  of  .30  feet  in  length. 
The  Injat-absorbing  surface  was  197.0  S(iuare  fce^t ;  the  area 
of  grate,  .'i  sjpiare  feet,  and  tlio  ratio  of  grate  surface  to  ab- 
sorbing surface,  1  to  39i^.  The  chimney  was  SCt^  feet  high, 
and  had  a  cross  section  of  182|-  square  inches.  The  amount 
of  coal  burned  during  the  whole  series  of  144  trials  at  Wash- 
ington was  62^  tons;  that  consumed  in  the  82  trials  at  Lon- 
don, \vas  14^  tons;  the  average  W(;ight  of  coal  burnt  at  one 
trial,  in  the  former  case  being  978  pounds,  and  in  the  lat- 
ter 391^  pounds. 

The  boiler  of  the  London  experiments  was  liable  to  one 
serious  inconvenience  as  an  experimental  apparatus:  it  con- 
tained constantly  water  of  very  diflerent  temperatures;  that 
lying  beneath  the  level  of  the  interior  flue  being  bv  several  de- 
grees lower  than  that  above  it,  and  at  its  sides,  ^he  average 
difference  between  the  bottom  and  surface  temperature  was 
no  less  than  70  degrees.  The  bottom  water  remains  at  rest, 
and  realizes,  in  part,  the  old  familiar  class-experiment  of  boil- 
ing water  in  the  upper  part  of  a  glass  tube  by  applying  a 
lamp  near  the  top,  while  a  lump  of  ice  is  kept  confined  at  the 
bottom.  This  character  of  their  boiler  complicated  the  calcu- 
lations, and  at  length  led  to  the  application  of  an  apparatus 


'flf  I 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  {MT-3) 


1.0 


I.I 


1.25 


MM    ^^"      ■■ll 

^  li&  12.2 


u  EM 


i.4 


6" 


1.6 


Photograpliic 

Scmces 
Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  14580 

(716)  872-4S03 


iV 


•1? 


\\ 


^^■*\,   ^>^  WiriS 


^^:vQ 


S*'^.*".^'^ 


mm 


i   i 


for  pumping  from  the  bottom  a  quantity  of  water,  and  sending 
it  in  spray,  through  several  tubes,  into  the  upper  part  of  the 
boiler,  and  also  of  niiing  up  tlie  boiler  through  these  multiple 
jets  passing  into  its  upper  part. 


ECONOMIC   WEIGHT  OF  COALS. 


In  both  the  ^Vmerican  and  the  British  trials  the  econo- 
mic weight  of  all  the  samples  tested  was  determined  by 
measuring,  not  in  bnsliels,  hut  in  cubic  feet;  and  the  relation 
of  the  economic  weight  to  the  hpiM-ilit-  gravity  of  the  coal,  as 
found  in  the  mine,  was  ascerlnined  for  eacli  sample.  This 
determination  enabled  the  experimenters  to  calculate  the  cu- 
bic space  required  for  the  stowage  of  a  gross  ton  of  eaeh  kind 
of  coal.  In  the  American  experiments  this  was  ascertained 
for  the  coals  as  received,  and  in  the  ordinary  markeiable 
eondilion  as  to  the  size  of  the  himps.  The  British  Coumiis- 
sioners  on  the  contrary  produced  an  artltieial  economie  value 
by  breaking  e^erv  kind  of  coal  up,  before  weighing,  into 
fragments  so  small  that  no  piece  weiglied  njore  than  one 
pound.  This  treatment  caused  nearly  every  sample  !»  exhibit 
a  higher"  economic  weight  ihaii  it  would  have  done  bad  it 
been  weighed  in  the  marketable  state — that  state  in  which  it 
is  usually  put  on  board  of  steam  vessels. 

In  the  American  report  (p.  183)  it  is  .stated  with  respect  to 
New  York  and  Maryland  Mining  Company*s  coal,  that  "the 
variation  in  llie  weight  of  two  cubic  feet' was,  according  to 
size  of  lumps,  from  95,75  to  118/25  poumls.  It  will  <'f)njmon!y 
be  observed  that  the  greater  weights  are  given  when  a  eoa- 
siderable  porticm  of  fine  coal  is  mixed  wilh  the  lumps.  8ueh 
will,  in  general,  be  found  to  be  the  eliect  of  giving  the  average 
sizes  to  coal,  instead  of  measuring  and  weighing  it  «'nrive!v 
ill  lumps."  Numerous  remarks  to  the  fenme  general  ellee't 
ofcu r  in  the  tables  o( daily  observations.  A  single  Jai-ge  Uunp 
in  tli(!  charge-box,  covered  on  eveiy  side  by  line  coal,  was 
usually  fovmd  to  give  the  greatest  weight  to'a  charge. 

ILu  ing  determined  the  weight  of  a  cubic  foot  of  coal  by  di- 
rect experiment  and  also  tlic  weight  of  water  whieii  a  pound 
of  each  coal  would  convert  into  steam  at  1^1  ij°,  the  writer  had 
computed  and  given  in  the  report  t(»  the  Navy  Department, 
(Senate  document,  38(5,  28fh  Congress,  1st  session,)  the  weight 
of  water  which  one  cubic  foot  of  each  coal  would  convert 
into  steam  from  2 12",  and  had  made  this  the  basis  of  his  lifth 
table  of  ranks.   (Report,  p.  5U4.) 


!).'} 


By  breaking  up  thoir  coals  to  tiie  degree  of  fineness  above- 
mentioned,  and  thereby  giving  them  an  artificial  economic 
weig!it,the  Britisii  Commissioners  have  obtained  in  nearly  every 
case,  greater  qtiantities  of  steam  per  cubic  foot  of  eoa!,  than 
were  given  by  aiialagous  coals  in  the  American  trials.  Thus 
the  free  burning  coals  of  Waler;,  wliieh  are  analaguus  to  those 
of  Marylaml  and  Penasylvania,  liave  an  average  specific 
gravity  of  1,31,  while  their  American  congeners  have  1.357, 
or  the  latter  arc  3.V  per  cent,  heavier,  in  the  mine,  than  the  for- 
mer; yet  the  twelve  American  free-buriiing  coals,  weighed  in 
the  marketable  state,  exhibited  52.81  pounds  per  cubic  foot, 
a»ul  the  ten  Welsh  tVec-bui'tiinL;  coals,  treated  as  above,  51.45 
pounds.  Additi^'  to  this  latter  wriji^lit  Sh  per  cent,  for  the 
greater  .specitic  gravity  of  tlie  Afucrican  coals,  we  have  50.35 
pounds  as  tlic  weight  of  one  cubic  foot  of  them,  if  prepared 
by  breakirj<;  up  in  the  way  above  described.  Tiie  above 
Weijiht  oi  51.15  poutuls  of  British  coals,  |y;ive  an  avenige  of 
513  poutuls  of  steam,  and  the  .5:;i.Sl  pounds  of  Ameritan  coal 
gave  51(J.35  pouiuls  of  sle;im.  At  this  rate  50.35  ptJiuids  of 
the  same  coal  ^ave  5 1  t.*i  pouTuis  «)f  steam,  showing  the  econo- 
mic values,  bulk  for  bulk,  of  the  two  coals  in  that  state  to  be 
in  fact  i<lctitical. 

}!y  eoniparini;  about  twenty  diflcrent  samples  <)f  American 
with  the  same  nmnbcr  of  I'ritish  coals  haviiig  correspomlhig 
specific  ^rnvitks,  it  is  rendered  apparent  that  by  the  treat- 
ment to  which  the  coals  were  subjected  !>y  the  liritish  Com- 
missiorjcrs,  (that  is,  by  breaking  ihem  up  so  small  tha^  no 
piece  should  wei?j:h  more  than  a  pomid.)  any  given  spa  .;  is 
made  to  receive,  on  an  average,  10^%  per  cent,  more  weight, 
than  when  the  same  coals  are  measui'e<l  iti  their  marketaldc 
state  ;ind  without  this  nrtilieial  pr(>paration. 

The  following  tabular  view  is  <lerivcd  from  data  furnished 
in  part  !>Y  the  report  on  American  coals,  page  55)1,  and  in 
pafJ  by  tljat  on  jb-itish  eoais.  \\\\)ir.  \'i — those  nuuihers  only 
repn'sentitig  irelght  pet'  cubic  J'oof.^  being  selected  from  the 
tai)le  of  each  report,  wldeh  brlonj^cd  fo  coals,  to  the  specille 
gravitii'S  of  wlii<'h  corresponding  speeilie  sivivitics  e«>uld  be 
found  in  the  other  table.  Tljey  embrace,  however,  nearly  the 
whole  range  of  the  specific  gravities  of  coal : 


04 


_nsi 


i: 


^i 


III 

AXBBICAN  COAU. 

BamsB  CoAU. 

Number  of  samples 
compared  to  give 
the  average  weight 
per  cubic  foot. 

Average  weig't,  per 
cubic  foot,  i'i  the 
marketable  ttate. 

Noinber  of  sample* 
compared  to  give 
the  average  weight 
per  cubic  foot. 

1.25 
1.27 
1.28 
1.30 
1.31 
1.33 
:.34 
1.39 
1.59 

3 
1 
4 
1 

3 
4 
1 
3 
1 

48.81 
47.  G5 
47. .13 
53  47 
50,39 
4D.2I 
45.10 
51.51 
55.32 

3 
3 
1 
3 
4 
4 
3 
1 
1 

54.56 
51.55 
56.  <H) 
55.62 
55.66 
52.0.1 

53  .10 
62.e0 

General  averages 



43.  y3 

55.38 

These  general  averages  are  in  the  ratio  of  100  to  110.9,  as 
above  mentioned. 

If,  therefore,  ibc  weight  of  steam  which  was  produced  by 
a  cubic  foot  of  each  American  coal,  he  increased  by  lO/^  per 
cent.,  the  weight  tlms  increased  will  correspond  to  what 
would  have  been  the  weight  of  steam  per  cubic  foot  of  the 
coal  had  it  received  this  factitious  economic  weight. 

Unless  the  practice  of  steams<hips  could  be  made  to  con- 
form to  the  experimental  operations  of  the  British  Com- 
missioners, (which  however  they  do  not  recommend  «r  even 
propose,)  it  is  difficult  to  perceive  the  practical  utility  of 
reducing  the  coals  in  their  experiments  to  the  sizes  indica- 
ted above.  The  results  given,  would,  in  fact,  mislead  prac- 
tice and  deceive  the  shipper  as  to  the  evaporative  power  of 
the  coal  which  his  bunkers  would  contain,  unless  he  should 
in  every  instance  take  the  precaution  to  contract  for  the  de- 
livery of  his  coal  in  the  state  of  subdivision  prescribed  to 
themselves  by  Messrs.  De  la  Beche  and  Playfair. 


MOISTURE   IN   COALS. 


It  may  be  remarked  that,  though  the  British  Commis.sionprs 
determined  the  quantity  of  moisture  in  the  coals  upon  Mhich 
they  experimented,  they  made  no  account  of  their  results  in 
any  of  their  computations  of  heating  power.  This  we  re- 
gard as  objectionable,  where  the  moisture  amounts  to  so  great 


95 


a  quantity  as  that  given  in  some  of  the  analyses.  Thus*  of  the 
two  Dalkeith  Scotch  coals, that  which  came  from  the  "Jewel 
seam,"  contained  0.30  pep  cent,  of  moisture,  and  evaporated  only 
7.08  pounds  of  water  iroui  the  boiler  per  pound  of  coal ;  while 
the  coal  from  the  "Coronation  seam,"  gave  but  5.88  per  cent, 
of  moisture  and  evaporated  7.71  pounds  of  water  from  the 
boiler.  In  both  cases  this  hygrometrie  water  replaced  so  much 
coal  when  weighed  out  to  the  fireman,  and  for  </i«f  reason  was 
to  be  deducted  from  the  weight,  in  order  to  get  the  actual 
weight  of  coal  burned.  Be.sides  this,  as  so  much  water  was 
thrown  upon  tlie  grate  to  be  evaporated,  instead  of  being  put 
into  the  boiler  for  that  purpose,  for  fhis  reason  also,  it  must  be 
regarded  as  having  been  deducted  from  the  useful  effect  of 
the  fuel.  Consequently,  the  weight  of  coal  must,  in  each 
case,  be  reduced  by  the  per  ccntage  of  its  moisture,  and  the 
weight  of  water  delivered  to  the  boiler,  must  be  increased 
by  a  like  per  centrige  of  the  weight  of  coal  burned,  to  get  the 
relative  valuess  of  the  two  fuels  m  like  states  of  dryness.  If 
we  deduct  the  weight  of  ash  in  each  of  these  two  coals  from 
100, we  g»>t  the  amhustihle  mattf't\  incUulhg  moisture/J5.G3  and 
9t>.n0 ;  and  computing  the  steam  for  one  pound  of  this  combus- 
tible matter,  we  get  7.40  and  7,9.'>,  of  which  the  difference  is 
0.55  pound  or  7,1  per  cent,  of  the  smaller  number.  If,  again,  we 
deduct  the  p«'r  centage  of  moisture  in  each  coal,  from  that  of 
the  combustible^  we  obtain  80.27  and  91.02  as  the  true  rela- 
tive quantities  of  dry  combustible,  in  each  variety,  and  add- 
ing to  the  weight  of  water  evaporated  from  the  boiler  by  each 
poun<l  of  the  moist  combustible,  the  weight  of  water  which  it 
evaporated  from  the  body  of  the  coal  itself,  we  obtain  7.17  and 
7.7(i  as  the  respective  amounts  evaporated  per  pound  of  moist 
coal;  .and  as  these  quantities  were  evaporated  by  .80  and  .91 
of  a  pound  of  ifri/  combustible  7nattcr,v/c  obtain  as  the  evapora- 
tive efHciency  of  one  pound  of  such  combustible  8.37  and  8.53, 
OP  the  diflerence  is  reduced  to  sixteen  lOOths  of  a  pound  of  water 
to  each  pound  of  combustible,  which  is  two  per  cent,  only,  of  the 
smaller  number.  This  diftenmce  may  probably  be  accounted 
for  by  the  diflerence  in  the  composition  of  the  dry  combustible 
matter  of  the  two  varieties  of  coal.  In  the  Jewel  seam  the 
fixed  carbon  was  to  the  volatile  combustible  as  1.11  to  1  ; 
while  in  the  Coronation  seam  it  was  as  1.24  to  1.  This  great- 
er evaporative  elliciency  among  l)ituminious  coals,  in  propor- 
tion as  the  ratio  of  their  fixed  to  their  volatile  combustible 
material,  is  higher,  is  a  general  truth,  established  as  well  by 
the  British  as  by  the  American  experiments.  It  was  fully 
brought  out  in  the  report  of  the  latter.    (See  next  page.) 


I' 


'!;•! 


■:;  1 


TABhE'^howing  the  relation  of  evaporative  power  to  the  ratio 
AMERICAN  EXPERIMENTS. 


Nauei  of  Coal  from  Report  on  American 
Coal*. 


Scotch 

Liverpool 

Midlothian,  (screened) 

Tippecnnoe 

Newcastle,,,, 

Miillothiaij,  (new  shaft,}...!! 

Cnnuel ton  .„.,„,,,..„ 

Midlothian,  (average) 

Clover  Hill 

Chesterfield  Company.., 

Pittsburg 

Creek  Company..... , 

Pictou,  (New  Y(.rk) 

Midlothian,  (900  feet  shaft) 

Crouch  &  Snend........ , 

Pictou,  (Canard's) 

Sidney ' , ,,^^ 

Barr's  Deep  Run,  (Va.) , 

Cambria  County,  (Va.)., 

Quill's  Uua ,,,^_ 

Karthnus 

Gasby  «&  Smith's '. 

Atkinson  &.  Templeman's..., 

Blossbuig. 

Eashy's  "  Coal-in-Storc ,"..'.!! 

liycornini);  Creek ..,„ 

Dauphin  and  Susiiuehanna.,, 
Neft'9 


New  York  and  Maryland  Mining  Company's. 

Natural  coke  of  Virginia.  ..,.,... , 

Lyken's  Valley. , !,!! 

Lehigh ....,.,.. , 

Lackawanna...... 

Beaver  Meadow,  slope  No.  5. 

Forest  Improvement .,..,, , 

Peach  Mountain 

Beaver  Meadow,  elope  No. 3 !..., 


I 


n' 


between  fixed  and  volatile  combustible  ingredients  in  Coals, 

BRITISH  EXPERIMENTS. 


Name*  of  Coal  from  Report  of  the  Britiah 
Commisaionera. 

Ratio  of  fixed 
to      volatile 
combustible. 

Dalktith  Coronation 

1.14 
1.20 
1.21 
121 
124 
1.37 
1.4t 
1.43 
1.4d 
1.73 
1.78 
L79 
1.85 
9.08 
2.39 
2.43 
2.91 
359 
473 
512 
5.52 

5.89 
G.02 
fi.l2 
630 
7.«5 
ir>.95 
19.60 

7.71 

Coleshill 

8.00 

Fordel  Splint , 

7.56 

Lvdiipv.  ("forest  of  Deaiil 

8.52 

Dalkeith  Jewel  Senm........ 

7.08 

Porthiuawr  iJock  Win.,. 

7.53 

Three'ciuarler  Uock  Vein 

6.64 

Grani'diiouth.- .—.... 

7,40 

WalLsenil  El<'in , 

8.46 

Pontypdol., , 

7.47 

BrootiiliiU  ...,...,, 

8.75 

Cwm  Nanty  Utos , 

8.42 

Wylam's  rateiit  Fuel 

893 

Cwin  l''r«o<i  Jlock  V'in , 

8.70 

Bedwaa  ....a............ .•....•. 

9.79 

Bell's  Patent  Fuel , 

8.53 

Mynydd  NewydJ 

9.52 

Ebbw  Vale 

lft.31 

Pentrepoth , 

8.72 

Resolveii  ....•••....,,•..... 

953 

Petitrefelin ................................s.. 

•6.36 

Dufl'ryn..,.. 

10.14 

Warlich's  Patent  Fuel 

10.36 

Oldcastle  Fiery  Vein 

8.94 

9..35 

Llanifeniieck...... 

8.86 

Binea .•....■• •....••..• 

9.94 

Slievarda^h. ,,,,.,, ,.,,,, .,,.., •.....•■...•••..••> 

9.65 

Welsh  Anthracite 

9.46 

•  In  respect  to  tlie  sample  called  PentrefelirJ  coal,  the  report  SJates,  lli.it  "  ow- 
ing to  the  extreme  smalhiess  of  the  coal,  there  was  great  difficulty  both  in  light- 
ing the  fin;  and  in  getting  the  Steam  up:  the  same  cause  no  doubt  affected  the 
trials  throughout,  as  the  work  done  was  very  small  in  comparison  with  that  of 
other  coals.  As  the  fire  burnt  up,  a  distinct  hissinsj  noise  was  heard,  and  on  open- 
in<]'  the  fire  door,  large  (piantities  of  ignited  particles,  presenting  a  bright  scintil- 
lating appearance,  were  carried  over  the  fire  bridge, and  passed  ''ito  the  hues.  Oil 
etokiiig  ilie  fire,  a  considerable  quantity  of  unburiit  coal  ^liI)ped  through  the  bars, 
which  on  being  again  thrown  up,  increased  the  difficulty  of  getting  a  good  fire— 
the  quantity  of  cinders  and  ashes  left  was  consequently  very  large." 

The  total  waste  matter,  owing  to  the  cause  above  stated,  ivas  27.4  per  cent. 
Analysis  proved  that  nearly  one  half  of  it  was  still  combustible,  but  it  appears  to 
have  been  so  enveloped  in  the  earthy  constituents  as  to  be  incapable  of  any  pro- 
fitable combustion  tinder  the  steam  boiler.  Deducting  the  ivaete  and  tnoisture 
from  the  weight  of  coal  consumed,  and  allowing  for  the  effect  of  the  matter  really 
butut,  a  pound  of  Pentrefelliu  eombustibU  ptoduccd  6.^4,  puuaJa  of  steam.    Thia 


! 

,  t 

ij' 


'II 


OS 

The  two  series  of  experiments,  Amcricnrt  ar\(\  BritfsTi,  are 
represented  in  the  two  preceding-  ])ii^-.3r^,  sidf.  by  side,  sLowing 
m  one  column  the  ratio  of  the  lix.  i  lo  the  volatile  combusti- 
blr  mntf,.r  i),  each  coal,  and  in  tin  •  oilmrthe  quantity  of  steam 
v/]uc]\  1  [MIL  of  coal  produced,  it  will  not  fail  to  be  re- 
inarkrd,  iliat  adecided  general  increase  of  evaporative  power 
tak«  s  place  with  the  increasing  ratio  of  fixed  combustible  up 
to  about  5  or  n  to  1.  After  passing  this  limit,  and  approach- 
ing the  anthracite  class,  the  quantity  of  carbon  which  is  vola- 
tilized in  coking,  as  compared  with  the  whole  quantity  of  vo- 
latile matter,  is  diminished,  as  shown  by  the  British  series  of 
per  centages  of  carbon  compared  with  the  amount  of  fixed 
carbon  in  each  coal. 

The  following  results,  selected  from  the  foregoing  table, 
exhibit  the  ratios  of  fixed  to  volatile  combustible  matter  iki 
four  samples  varying  considerably  from  each  other,  and  the 
evaporating  power  of  the  combustible  matter  of  each  kind  of 
coal,  excluding  the  mohture  mid  ashes.  The  first  is  from  the 
American,  and  the  second  from  the  British  report : 


AmERJC**   £xrER!MEKTS. 


Coals. 


I. 

2. 
3. 

4. 

1. 

2. 
3. 

4. 


Scotch  coal 

New  Castle  coal,.,., ,,.„. 

Virginia  Midlothian,  new  shaft 

CumberJand,  Atkinson  &  Templeman 


Ratio  of  fixed  to 
volatile  matter. 


Evapofalive  power 

of  the  eotnhufti* 

bit  tnatter. 


Scotch,  Dalkeith  Jewel  seam... 
Broomhill,  not  far  from  Newcastle. 
Cwin  Frood,  rock  vein 

Ebbw  Vale,  (Welch,) 


COHESIVE  POWER  OF  COALS. 

The  British  Commissioners  have  given  an  interesting  series 
of  experiments  (column  G,  table  II.,  p.  7.3)  on  the  relative  co- 
hesive powers  of  the  sever.al  coals,  or  their  power  to  bear  hand- 
ling, transportation,  and  rolling  upon  each  other.  Having 
broken  them  up  as  already  mentioned  to  such  a  size  that  no 
lump  weighed  over  one  pound,  they  sifted  them  upon  a  seive  of 
one  inch  meshes,  took  one  hundred  pounds  of  what  was  left  on 

brings  it  much  nearer  to  »  conformity  with  others  of  its  class.  The  defect  of 
foiling  into  small  fragments  anj  passing  through  the  grate  was  oLacrred  in  certsio 
American  coab.    (See  report  on  Aaierican  coali,  p.  3<>7.) 


the  seive,  plnt^rrl  them  in  a  barrel,  much  like  an  old  fasHioneil 
barrel  churn,  wiili  flanges  projecting  from  its  periphery  In- 
wards towards  the  centre,  and  giving  this  cylinder  fifty  turns, 
took  oat  its  contents  and  again  sifted  and  weighed  what  was 
left  on  the  seivc.  The  per  centage  by  weight  retained,  was 
taken  as  representing  tiic  cohesive  power  of  the  coals. 


NITROGEN   AND  AMMONIA  IN  COALS. 

Having,  after  the  manner  of  Will  &  Varentrap,  ascertained 

the  quantity  of  nitrogen  in  the  coals,  the  British  Commis- 
sioners empk>yed  the  results  in  computing  the  quantity  of 
ammonia  and  of  sulphate  of  ammonia  which  might  be  ob- 
tained during  the  destructive  distillation  of  each  kind  of  coal. 

The  highest  proportion  of  sulphate  of  ammonia  which  was 
obtained  from  the  coals  trieil,  was  10.18  pounds,  from  100 
pounds  of  coal. 

This  subject  commends  itself  to  gas  manufacturers  and 
agriculturists,  rather  than  to  engineers  and  furnace  men. 

The  large  amount  of  ammoniaeal  liquors  obtained  in  the 
manufacture  of  illuminating  gas,  is,  in  this  country,  allowed 
to  run  chiefly  to  waste;  whereas,  by  ..Jopting  the  sulphuric 
acid  purifier,  very  large  quantities  of  the  sulphate  of  ammo- 
nia, a  salt  in  high  request  among  enlightened  farmers,  would 
be  obtained.  (See  Knapp's  Cliem.  Technology,  American 
edition,  vol.  1,  p.  476.) 


I 


no 


EXPANSION  OF  WATEB  AT  HIGH  TEMPERATURES. 

The  temperature  compared  with  the  observed  bulk  and 
weight  of  water  in  a  boiler,  has  been  re-examined  by  Messrs. 
De  la  Beche  and  Playfair ;  and,  as  far  as  they  go,  their  re- 
sults confirm  essentially  those  in  the  American  report.  Tliese 
analagous  results  are  found  at  page  13  of  the  American  report, 
and  page  53  of  the  British  report.  The  British  Commissioners 
extended  their  experiments  from  70°  to  21^",  while  the  Ameri- 
can reached  from  iii)°  to  230°.  The  American  boiler  held, 
when  filled  to  its  normal  level  with  water  at  f)(>°  temperature, 
12,795  pounds }  and  when  heated  to  230°,  without  losing  any 
steam,  403  pounds  had  to  be  withdrawn  to  bring  the  level 
once  more  down  to  the  normal  point. 

**The  observations  made  on  the  gradual  rise  of  temperature, 
and  the  corresponding  weights  of  water  which  it  had  taken 
to  fill  the  boiler,  as  nmch  as  the  expansion  by  heat  now  did, 
gave  the  tbllowing  table : 


ft 


1 


From 
€C0  to  II4J, vl«  4S0.5,  inoieaie  equlv't  to  bulk  of  69  lb*. at  580,or  1.42 Ibi.  to  1© 


114^  to  149 

« 

34  .5, 

<• 

M 

81 

M 

"935 

<• 

149    to  180 

« 

31 

M 

«l 

97 

« 

"  3.13 

M 

180   toSB7 

M 

27 

« 

« 

66 

M 

«  3.18 

M 

807   to  233 

« 

16 

M 

W 

S9 

M 

"  5.S8 

M 

S23   to  930 

(« 

7 

« 

« 

71 

M 

"10.14 

ff 

"This  great  increars  in  the  rale  of  expansion  of  water  above 
the  boiling  point,  being  nearly  7  J  times  as  great  in  the  range 
of  the  last  l""  as  in  the  first  .stage  of  10%  may  probably  pos- 
sess some  intf  rest  lieyond  tliat  which  attaches  to  it  as  a  means 
of  correcting  certain  observations  tuU<'n  <hn-ing  tliis  research." 
It  will  be  remarked,  that  tliis  r:ipid  augmentation  of  liie  rate 
of  dilation  of  water  in  iron,  h  not  preventi'd  by  tlie  eon- 
ycision,  at  tlje  same  time,  of  a  considerable  quantity  of  water 
into  steam  of  a  high  donsity. 

The  British  Commission rrs  operating  with  a  smaller  boiler 
obtained  of  course  smaller  numbers  of  poimds  of  water  to 
represcjit  the  expansion  of  the  wuh-r.  Tlu;  ibllowitig  is  their  ta- 
ble, to  which  we  have  added  a  tifth  column  showing  the  aver- 
age rate  of  expansion  for  one  degree,  between  the  suceessivo 
temperatures  nuti\.i;d  in  the  first  column. 

Table  shomng  the  expansion  of  watrr  in  the  boihr  at  diferent 

temperatures. 


70" 
80 
90 
100 

no 

ISO 
139 
140 
ISO 
160 
170 
180 
1»0 
200 
f209 
$04 

tm 

910 
813 


♦'  i  je 


l.<J0tJO 

0.f)l)9G 

0.9993 

0.9987 

0.9983 

0.9979 

0.99:4 

0.9971 

0.9967 

0.9954 

0.9940 

0.9923 

0  9901 

0.9873 

0.98fi9 

0.9859 

0.9849 

0.9839 

0.9S39 

0.a819 


*  -£  — 

C  -  « 

**  ^  »c   a 

Jit   Q  i,  ^ 


47.10.000 
47x^8. 1»)8 
4720.216 
472;).9.-)0 
4721.900 
4719.097 
4717.795 
4715.28.1 
4714.012 
4708.242 
4701.«20 
409.3.579 
4fi8.'J.|73 
4072.767 
4608.0.17 
4063.307 
46.58.577 
4653.847 
4649.117 
4644.387 


P.    9> 


.&§ 


1    « 

JJ       S 

Ci  "  "  * 


0.000 

1.899 

3784 

€.050 

e.o-io 

10.903 
12.20."> 
14717 
15.988 
Sl.75d 
S8..'J8<I 
36.421 
46.827 
57.233 
61.963 
66.693 
71.493 
76.153 
eo.683 
65,613 


im 


■p\ 


u 

M 
W 


1 
1 
1 
1 
1 


The  second  column,  as  "wcU  as  the  one  which  wo  have 
added,  renders  it  evident  that  all  the  numbers  in  the  third 
column  wtTC  not  ohtaini'd  by  actual  observation.  The  se- 
cond and  third,  and  the  last  six  or  seven  numbers,  are  evi- 
dently the  results  of  interpolation.  The  law  of  expansion 
nnderjjocs  no  jiucli  change  per  salttim  as  would  be  im- 
plied in  the  supposition,  that  from  180°  to  200='  it  .should  be 
constantly  1.010,  und,  all  at  once,  more  than  doubling  it- 
self, should  from  200"  to  21 'i*,  continue  to  be  exactly  2.305 
lbs.  to  one  dcsrce  of  increase  in  temperature.  As  the  Ameri- 
can boiler  had  about  three  tiniex  the  ciprieity  of  tl»c  llritish, 
and  as  tlic  water  in  tlie  I'ornier  was  heated  uniformly  through- 
out by  building  tlie  fire  underneath,  while  the  latter,  in  con- 
scfiue'ucc  of  buildin<;  the  tire  in  the  interior,  had  a  part  of  its 
■water  constantly  eooler  thrtn  the  rest,  so  we  ought  to  expect 
that  the  amount  of  expansion  for  one  degree  should  be  dif- 
ferent in  the  two  boilers.  The  I'ritish  expenments  confirm, 
as  Car  as  they  go,  those  previ<)usly  made  here,  in  proving  the 
rapid  increase  in  the  rate  of  expansion  of  water  in  iron.  It 
WUA  more  important  to  the  liritistt  than  to  the  American  ex- 
perhneuters  to  know  accuratelv  the  contents  of  their  boiler 
at  every  tenip<?rafure,  iuasmtieh  as  the  former  employed  a 
part  of'their  coal  aUnig  with  a  small  quantity  of  wood  for 
heating  up  their  boiler  an<l  its  contents.  This  expansion  of 
water  in  iron  it  is  highly  important,  also,  for  the  steam  engi- 
neer to  be  acfjuainted  with. 

From  the  following  table  a  comparison  maybe  made  be- 
tween the  amount  of  expansion  of  water  in  iron,  as  deter- 
mined by  the  iJriti-sb  Commissioners,  and  that  aj^eertained  at 
AVashingfon  a«  given  on  the  preceding  page.  It  appears  that 
the  rate  of  expansion,  expressc<l  in  pounds,  to  V  of  tempera- 
ture, was  six  times  as  great  at  UKil"  as  at  Otf[%  being  1.3  at 
the  former,  and  but  .2  at  the  latter  temperature. 


^1 


I 


in 
fit  / 


Ttnpentarei  ob> 
■enred. 


At   660 
1141 


m 


103 


Contento  of  the  boiler  in 

|MHM»da  far  diflprent 

tcmperatorei. 


4730.756 
4790.871 
4714.139 
4693.579 
4660.943 


diff.  48i« 
"  344« 
«    810 

«    97» 


Differ'e  in  weight 

at  th«  gaccritive 

tenpcnturetf. 


DiflerenN  In 
weight  for  1® 
Fabrenfacit. 


I 


».865 
16.639 
90.560 
39.637 


.903 

.469 

.663 

1.908 


I8T1MATI0N    OP  THE    WATER  PUPPLIED   TO  THE  BOILER,  ACCORDINO 

TO  ITS  TEMPERATURE. 

The  expansion  of  water  in  the  supply  tank  was  examined 

m  our  experiments,  between  58  and  JJO  degrees;  by  the  Brit- 
ifiii  Commissioners^  between  40  and  80  degrees. 

Table  of  eo-eflicicnts,  from  the  American  Report,  for  correct- 
ing the  weight  of  water  delivered  from  the  tank  to  the 
boiler  at  different  temperatures. 


Temperature. 

68« 

65 
70 
76 
80 
•6 
90 


Ratio  of  bHubI  to  apparent 
weight  of  water. 

1.0000 
0.9965 
0.9977 
0.9969 
0.9963 
0.9957 
0.9953 


Small  as  is  the  correction  required  by  the  cause  now  under 
consideration,  it  hhf,  not  been  dtt^ned  expedient  to  omit  the 
estimation  of  its  efficiency  in  modifying  the  results." 

The  American  water  tank  was  made  of  wood,  the  British 
of  plate  iron,  and,  of  course,  a  different  co-efiicient  of  expan- 
sion would  be  found  applicable. 

The  following  are  the  results  of  the  British  experiments  to 
detcrmme  the  expansion  and  contraction  of  water  in  the  iron 
tanks,  taking  70°  as  the  normal  temperature. 


i  '\i 


loa 


Tempcraiare 

Actual  weight  of  tn 

Tempera  tore 

Actnal  weight  of  aa 

Fthrcnheit. 

anitjr  of  water. 

Fahrenheit. 

anity  of  water. 

40O 

1.001464 

6S* 

1.000/ 19 

49 

1.001451 

64 

1.000534 

44 

1.001439 

66 

1.0()0.')56 

46 

1.001436 

68 

1.000178 

48 

1.001414 

70 

l.OOOOOO 

SO 

1.001401 

79 

.999763 

S9 

1.001S94 

74 

.099597 

54 

1.001196 

76 

.999290 

56 

1.0UIU94 

78 

.999US4 

58 

1.00U993 

80 

.996818 

60 

1.000S90 

HEATING  POWER  OF  COALS,  ACCORDING  TO  THEIR  CLASSES. 

The  average  heating  powers  computed  fVom  their  experi- 
ments by  the  British  Commissioners,  agree  very  closely  indeed 
with  the  averages  for  corresponding  classes  of  coals  given  at 
Washington.    Thus,  by  the 

T«n  anlhrscitea  gave  steam  to  one  of  coal .............................9.S8 

Eleven  Pennsylvania  and  Maryland  free  •burning  coala. 9.68 

One  Newcastle  coal............ ..........8.65 

Ten  Virginia  bituminous  coats 8.48 

Four  Liverpool  and  Nova  Scotia..... ............8.18 

Three  Scotch  and  Wcstero .7.49 

And  the  mean  of  sis  sferages. ........8.68 

Bsmsa  Exmmunr, 

Two  anthracites  gwt  steam  to  one  of  coal 3.C$ 

Ten  Welch  free*burning  coals 9.58 

One  BrooinhilL ,.,,, .8 .75 

Eight  Welch  bituminoua .8.00 

One  Forest  of  Dean .8.59 

Five  Scotch .7.64 

Mean  of  dz  averages. M........6.69 

The  pine  wood  used  at  Washington  gave  4.60 ;  the  wood 
of  inferior  quality  used  at  London,  gave  3.10,  as  its  evaporaf- 
tive  power. 


Bi 


I 


ill 


! 


104 
PATENT   FUEL   FOR  STEAM  SHIPS. 

nij2:lily  intrrestino:  to  steam  navi<;ation  are  tlie  trials  which 
the  liritisliCommissioiKM-s  made  of  several  patent  fuels,  prov- 
ing that  some  of  those  fuels  eontain  a  mueh  j2:real(r  evapova- 
tive  power  under  o  giren  bulk  than  any  of  ihe  coals,  in  their 
ordinary  merchantable  state.  This  may  he  illustrated  by  a 
comparison  between  Wariiek's  patent  fuel— of  which 

_          , .    ,.                                      Lbs.  of  steoni  per  1  lb.  of  fuel. 
One  cubic  foot  gnve 715.3') 


Wnursfieryvein  coal,  which  gave W)h!  78  (a  maximum 


among  cuts. 


Dalkeith  jewi-l  sea ':, 35^.r>d  (a  iiiinimum  ^ 

Thus  it  ap^icars  Wariiek's  patent  fuel  is  17.4  j)er  cent,  su- 
perior m  evaporative  power,  per  cubic  loot,  to  the  best,  and 
10.'3  per  cent,  superior  to  iho  lenst  efficient  of  iho  coals,  in 
their  natural  state.     (See  column  I,  p.  73.) 

LATENT    IJEAT    AM)    HEAT    OF   CAr.\CITV    OP    W  \Tf:R. 

The  calorific  co-efficients  of  M.  Reo-nault  were  adopted 
by  the  British  Commissioners  for  computing:  the  ialent  heat 
of  the  vapor  of  water,  and  the  tendency  of  these  co-efficients 
IS  to  l)rin<>-  out  a  higher  calculated  calorific  efficiency  than 
that  which  would  b(^  given  bv  llie  high;>r  co-elli  ient  direclly 
determined  by  our  own  researches.  This  latter  co-efficient 
gave  1030°  for  the  latent  heat  of  the  vapor  of  water. 

To  illustrate  the  effect  of  adopting  the  co-efficient  of  M, 
Regnault,  for  computing  the  calorific  elliciency  of  the  coals, 
we  may  present  an  example  afibrded  bv  the  above  average 
evaporative  power  of  American  coals,  viz:--8.(;o  lbs.  of  steam 
from  water  at  212°.  It'  the  water  be  supposed  to  Jiave  been 
delivered  to  the  boiler  at  00°,  then  the  weight  of  water  at 
that  temperature  would  be  7..51  lbs.  to  1  pound  of  coal. 

Taking  the  latent  heat  of  the  vapour  of  water,  when  gener- 
ated at  212°,  to  be  1030°,  the  sensible  heat  imparted  to  the 
water  before  it  is  evaporated,  is  212°— 00°  ==152°;  and  the 
wdiole  quantity  of  heat,  taken  up  in  healing  and  evaporatino: 
IS  152+1030=1182°.  Hence,  the  evaporative  power  from 
water,  at  212°  is, 

By  using  Regnault's  co-efficient,  these  numbers  vary  as  fol- 

lows:  ^r.^lH'5'.'7 

7.54X =8.72 

m).').7 

hence  the  difTerence  by  the  two  methods,  is.  .0(5  Ibs.-^o.on  per 

cent.,  or  say  seven-tenths  of  one  per  cent.,  of  the  smaller  num- 


iU    ^i 


# 


105 

ber.  This  diflercnce  will  bo  slightly  enhanced  by  using  also 
Regnault's  numbers  for  the  quantity  of  heat  in  water  at  dif- 
ferent temperatures.  These  numbers  show,  that  in  healing 
water  from  (50^  to  212%  there  is  ex])ende(l  a  (iuantity  of  hca^t 
equal  to  ir)2°.8n,  and  the  calculation  would  give 

7-S4X-^-._y-=8.73  lbs.  of  steam  from  212°,  or  about  eiglit- 

tenths  of  one  per  cent,  above  wliat  is  given  by  the  American 
calculations.  This  dilferencc  practice  will  seldom  or  never 
appreciate. 

USE   MADE   OF   THE   HEATING    POWHR  OP  COALS. 

The  British  Conmiissi oners  employed  a  part  of  llie  coal 
burned  in  giving  temperature  to  the  boiler,  its  contents,  and 
I  he  !)riek  work  of  its  setting,  and  a  part  in  generating  steam, 
insiciid  of  h(Mling  up  the  boiler  and  furnace  with  wood,  (as 
in  the  American  experiments,)  and  tlicu  using  the  wliole 
heating  pov/er  of  the  coal  solely  to  generate  steam.  They 
tims  complicated  considerably  the  calculations.*  In  considering 
the  effect  of  that  part  of  1  lie  fuel  which  is  usnd  in  heatin.^  up 
the  water  in  the  boiler,  they  have  not  included  that  expended 
on  ihe  boili-r  itself,  which,  from  its  considerable  weight  and 
higli  speciiic  heat,  might  reasonably  require  a  computation. 
As  the  experiments  on  American  coals  were  commenced 
M-ilh  llie  iiuiiace.  l)oil("r,  and  contents,  all  at  normal  tempera- 
ture, such  an  nllowmce  was  not  required. 

COMPOSITION    AND   IIEAT-ABSORRINO    POWER   OF  THE    GASES    OF    THE 

CHIMNEY. 

Though  the  British  Commissioners  have  made  experiments 
on  the  gases  of  the  chimney,  they  have  not  used  them  to  as- 
certain how  much  of  the  whole  heating  power  was  expended 
on  those  gases.  They  came  to  a  conclusion  in  regard  to  the 
oxygen  remaining  unconsumed  in  the  gases,  identical  with  that 
previously  reached  bythf  (\merican  researches,  viz:  that  in  or- 
dinary steam-boiler  furnaces  of  good  construction,  the  oxygen 
which  has  not  b(M'n  consumed,  is  from  one-fourth  to  one-half 
of  the  whole  (juantity  originally  in  th(^  air.f 

From  the  columns  under  "  ratio  to  total  bulk  of  dry  gases, 
of  carbonic  acid  and  oxygen,  in  table  191,"  it  is  fouiid  that 
the  average  per  centage  of  those  two  materials  rmd  their 
sum,  for  the  several  classes  of  coals,  was  as  follows,  viz : 

•  See  their  formula,  pages  6G-68. 
^  See  American  report,  page  582. 


is? 


ill 


\ 


!  I  if 


IOC 

{I.)  Of  the  ontlirncite  cinss,  by  22  analyse*,  the  carbonic  ndd  was  9.443.  oxv* 

gen  J2. 094— sum  51 .537.  ' 

(2  )  Mnryland  free-burning,  by  10  analyses,  the  carbonic  acid  was  10.819.  «ixy 
geii  10.;>d4— sumSl.lU.'J. 

(.1.)  IViinsylv;inia  freeburniug,by  9  nnalyses.ihe  carbonic  acid  wa«  9.951.  oxv- 
gen  l(>.r>72-suin20..W3.  ' 

(4.)  Vireinin  bituminous,  by  16  analyses,  the  carbonic  acid  tta»  9.564.  oxynen 
11.598— sum  20. 8G2. 

(5.)  Foreign  bituminous,  by  II  analyse*,  the  carbonic  acid  was  10.927.  o.-cytren 
9.88fi— sum  20.81.3. 

(G.)  Cnnnclton  bituminous,  by  2  analyses,  the  carbonic  acid  was  13.207.  oxvffen 
5.5j0-sum  18.717.  ^ 

(7.)  Pine  wood,  by  2  analyses,  the  carbonic  acid  was  9.214,  oxygen  10.210 — 

smn  19.427, 

In  several  of  these  cases,  the  sum  of  the  oxygen  and  car- 
bonic acid  in  almo.st  identical  with  the  proportion  in  which 
oxygen  is  found  in  the  atmosphere.  Thus— \'o.s.  2.  .'i.  4,  and 
5,  give  a  mean  of  10.315  of  carbonic  acid,  l()..'»in  of  oxygen. 
An  excess  may  probably  be  referred,  in  some  instances,  to 
the  existence  of  carbonic  acid  in  the  coal,  in  the  state  of  car- 
bonates  ;  and  a  deficiency  to  the  production  of  much  water 
of  combustion,  as  in  cases  of  the  highly  bituminous  coals  and 
of  pine  wood. 

FIXED  CARBON   A9    A    MEAf»URt:  OF   ilEATIKC.   POWER. 

Keference  is  made  in  the  report  on  American  coals  to  an 
opinion  which  had  gained  .some  currency,  to  the  efiect,  that 
the  heating  power  of  coals  is  always  proportionate  to  th« 
quantity  of  fixed  carbon  which  they  severally  contain;  that 
is,  to  the  nmount  of  coke  obtained  by  destructive  <listillation, 
dimini.-ihed  by  the  amount  of  ashes  left  after  complete  incine- 
ration. Tliis  point  is  also  referred  to  by  the  British  commis- 
sioners at  page  13  of  their  report. 

The  commissioners  then  proceeded  to  examine  the  question 
by  calculating  the  heating  power  of  the  carbon  of  the  coke, 
theoretically,  and  comparing  the  results  with  (he  evaporative 
efl^cts.  Instead  of  this,  we  prefer  to  arrange  the  coals  ac- 
cording the  per  centage  of  fixed  carbon,  and  set  opposite  to 
each,  the  weight  of  steam  generated  by  one  pound  of  the 
coal,  as  in  the  subjoired  table : 


107 


Table  eihlh'tin^  thr  clo.ss-ifictftfon  of  the  Bntlsh  cauls  in  the 
onhr  of  then-  per  rftitc^e  of  fired  C(/rhon  dvtenniued  hfj 
coliiiii^  and  iucuwrafion,  (tad  a  comparison  of  this  ivifh  their 
evd/iorativc  potrcrs,  dtwiiitl  from  the  data  furnished  in  the 
tablts  at  jiif^is  11  and  i\i  of  the  British  report* 


Name  of  Coul. 

A  a 

1^ 

Average 
Carbon. 

> 
1  ^ 

O    V 

&•* 

7.08 
8.00 
8.46 
8.52 

7 .  56 

7.53 
7.7J 

8.84 

•2     1 

•la. 

Ji  s 

1.  Dalkeith  Jewel  Scam 

8.  Coleshill    

3.  Wallstiid  Kl'»in 

45.43 
47.08 
47.75 
47.80 

47,01 
49.58 
57.12 
63.61 
74.60 
79.16 
64.99 

8.01 
7.91 
8.01 
8.98 
9.65 
9.99 
9.84 

♦.  Parliend,  Lydney 

S.44 

6.  Forde!  Sphrit 

48.03 
18.38 
50 .  40 
51.54 

6.  Fortliiiiaur  Ilock  Vein 

7.  Dalkeitlj  Coronation. 

8.  Thrce-tjuartcr  Rock  Vein. , . 

5.73 

9,  Gtangomouth 

10.  Broomhill 

1 1.  Pontypool 

13.  Cwiu  Nauty  Gros 

53.08 
56.13 
59.28 
60.00 

— — 

60  96 
62.80 
61,76 
66.74 

7.40 
8.75 
7.47 

8.42 

6.60 

1.1.  Wylam's-  Patent  Fuel 

14.  Cwin  t'rood  Kock  Vein. , . . 

15.  Bcdwas 

8.92 
8.70 
9.79 
8.53 

16.  Bell's  Patent  Fuel 

7.38 

17.  Mynydd  ^lewyddi 

71.56 
71.69 
76.00 
76.16 

77.15 

79.14 
79.30 
81  .04 

9.52 

9.53 

10.21 

8.94 

8.K6 
8.72 

y.85 

10.14 

18.  Kesolven ••... 

19.  Ebbw  Vale 

30.  Old  Castle  Fiery  Vein 

Si.   litaiigenucck. t«... 

8.68 

22.    Peutrepotlj 

23.  Slicvcrdaeh,  (anthracite,) 

24.  DuUVvn . , 

8.95 

as.  Warlich's  Patent  Fuel 

26.  Crai.oU 

82.19 
82.26 
84.14 
91.38 

10.60 
9.35 
9.94 
9.46 

27,  Binea  

, 

38.   Welsh  .\nthracite. 

9.84 

An  inspection  of  thr  .nhove  table  will  render  it  abundantly 
evident,  tijut  tliough  the,  amount  of  tixed  carbon  in  coal  may 
s«  rve  a.s  a  general  index,  it  can  by  no  mean.s  be  regarded  us 
the  measure  of  the  heatiu^;  power  of  coals. 


tl 

h\ 


h 


I 


II 


t 


it 
■ 

'■i  ' 

108 

Ih  the  first  place,  the  right-humi  cohimn  shows  that  the 
ste.'un.-eneratln-  power  of  corils  havhii,'  A7  per  cent,  of  fixed 
carbon,  is  no  greater  than  that  of  coal*  possessiiii;  only  47 
per  cent.  "       •' 

It  also  shows  that  t!ie  four  coals  which  had  7ti«,  per  cent. 

of  carbon  had  a  hi-ber  heatins^  power  than  the  four  M'hirh 
contained  70^^  per  cent.  In  the  next  place,  the  proportion 
ot  the  fi.vod  eart)on  varies  in  tlie  several  sets  of  four  samples 
from  t7.01  to  St.OO,  or  the  latter  is  80  per  cent,  more  thati 
the  lornicr  proportion  of  fixed  earl)on;  wliile  the  stenm  pro- 
duced  by  them  respectively,  varied  only  from  S.OI  to  9.HI  the 
latter  beinj?  but  2-i.H  per  cent,  more  than  the  former.  This 
want  of  all  true  [)roporlion  between  the  fired  carbon  and  the 
heatfn<r  power  will  of  necessity  preclude  the  use  of  the  one 
as  a  nmts'ure  of  the  other. 

In  the  pros:rcss  of  the  researches  on  American  coals  it  was 
repeatedly  proved  that  the  quantity  of  carbon  which  remains 
hxed  after  the  coal  has  been  subjeef(>d  to  a  re(t  heat,  varies 
for  the  same  specimen  of  coal  accordin<?  to  the  greater  or  less 
rapidity  with  which  the  heat  is  applied. 

COMPARWOX  OF  CARBON  AND  HVI>Ror;r,N  WITH  TUB  PRACTICAL  HEAT- 

ist;  row  i;r. 

The  following  table  shows  that  while  of  the  seven  sets  of 

calculated  ,  .aeiencies,the  averages  (column  .3)  increase  from 
12.51)1  to  15.55ft,  or  by  2^  per  cent,  of  the  former  number 
the  experimental  averages  iirst  diminish  from  8.(Hf  to  8  18 
and  then  increase  to  f).S8  the  ditference  between  the  tirst  and 
the  last  of  these  numbers  being  It  per  cent,  of  the  first.     It 
will  also  be  observed  that  this   principle   of   classifieafion 
bnngs  together  at  the  very  head  of  the  list,  the  Scotch  coal 
ot  (tie  IJalkeilh  Jewel  Seam  and  the  Slieverdaeh  (Irish)  an- 
thracite—two species  of  fuel  which  are,  in  all  their  characters 
as  well  as  in  their  evaporative  powers,  the  very  antipodes  of 
each  other.     A  principle  of  computation  which  classes  to- 
gether materials  so  utterly  unlike,  can  have  no  foundation  in 
nature,  and  should  have  no  place  in  science.     The  very  hi'di- 
est  of  the  theoretical  cmciencies  (l.'>.JM!  t)  is  mx%  per  cent 
greater  than  the  lowest,  {\i  313) ;  and  the  verv  highest  prac- 
tical efhciency  by  experiment  (lt).<5())  is  1!>.7  per  cent,  greater 
than  the  lowest,  7.08.     It  is  therefore  evident  that  the  practi- 
cal heatmj?  powers  of  these  coals  did  not  correspond  even  to 
the  order  of  the  calculated  results,  when  classed  by  fours  or 
fives  together,  and  that  consequent  I  v  no  direct  relatmn  can  be 
found  between  the  powers  of  the  practical  series  and  those 


y 


109 


of  the  thporetictU  on<%  fount^ed  on  the  con^hination  of  the  cal- 
culated carbon,  with  tliat  of  the  hydrogen,  elUcien<*y. 

Arrftn^rmertt  nrcordini!  to  the  rrder  of  nnmhcrs  ohfrihird  hjf 
inulliphfh}g  the  vefuiht  of  carbon  in  each  coal,  htj  1JV-*()H,  and 
the  wcitrht  t>f  hi/(iro<r€n  hij  iVl  HO,  and  dimding  the  strm  of 
thr  proditcts  hij  iXi,").?,  {the  hitent  heat  of  steam  htj  J\(<inaidt) 
the  nnmhera  hcina^  derived  from  column  Vt^and  compared  with 
those  in  column  4,  ijifi^f"  72  and  73.) 


The  experimental  effi- 
ckncie*. 

Number.*  from  column; 
E,     theoretical   effi-; 
ciency   from  carbon 
and  hydrogen.           i 

Average  calculated 

efficiency. 

Actual    efficiency   by 
experiments  fromco- 
Iumn  A. 

k       i 
1       1 

"£  ! 

Hydrogen    in  excew; 
beyond    the  €quiv.i-! 
lent  of  the  oxygen. 

Average  of  hydrogen 
in  excess. 

Dalkeith  .tewel  rioatn 

Slieverdach  Anthracite.. 

Dalkeith  Corouatiuti 

CoWshill..... 

12.313 
12.482 
12.772 

I2.71)!> 

12.591 
13.149 
13.751 

1 

1 

i 

;  14.314 

14.708 

1 

i 

14.886 

i 

1 

1 

.'  15.550 

1 

7.08  ! 
9.85  i 
7.71 

8.00 

3.20 
3.30 
3.41 
4.11 

j 

8. 66 

3.S5 

Poffhmawr  Rock  Vein.,. 
Three-quarter  Rock  Vf-in 
park  Knd,  Lyduey „..,... 
Wallsend  Kh'in....... 

12.8!1 

iJ.Kjt; 
i;),2.-)7 

13.422 

7..'»3 

8.84  j 
8.52  1 

e.4« 

4.34 
4.30 

4.88 
4.5!) 

1  8.34 

y.35  i 

7.40 

7..'>r. 

8.42  ' 

4.53 

flfaiffota...    . 

13.5(i3 
13.(li»2 
13.817 

i:i.tt32 

2.i>4 
4.21 
4.4« 

4.!)0 

4.75 

3.!>a 

5.11 

4.86 

Graiigemoutb,... 

Kordel  Splint....,, 

Cwm  Nanty  Oroa 

4.13 

Resolven 

Llangeiineck 

I'ontypool 

13.;>71 

14.2(i(> 
14.2!t5 
14.331 

W.86 
7.47 

Wylani'8  Patent  Fuel 

8,<>2 

8.69 
9.09 
9.23 

9.88 

4.65 

WelsH  Anthracite. 

Ward's  Fiery  Vein..  ..... 

Cwm  Frooil  Rock  Vein.. 
Penttt'iiotti .................. 

14.593 
J4.<il4 

14.7H^^ 
14.838 

14.841 

14.8(13 
14.!)04 

I4.y3fi 

1       !>.4(i 

9.4(1 

1      8.70 

!      8.72 

3.14 
3.93 
5.39 
4.1U 

4.14 

BedwtXS.*.  •«•••••••••«• 

9.71 

1      8.75 
1      9..VJ 
!      8.94 

5.82 
5.79 
5. art 
4.47 

Drooiuliil) 

Mvnvdd  Newvdd 

Olilcastic  Fiery  Vein 

5.36 

Powel'a  Dufijvn 

15.0!»2 
15  09;i 
15.417 
15.<)35 

15,%4 

1     10.14 

1       9.94 

8.5:1 

10.21 

lU.  GO 

4..'>!> 
4.51 
5.17 
5.1U 
5.56 

Bineii   .  ,..>..     .  ...•••.... 

Bell's  Patent  Fttel 

Ebbw  Vitle 

Wariiub's  Patent  Fuel 

4,97 

1 

^- 


m 


li 


110 


IlEVTIKU  I'O^VER  MKASUHED  BY  THE  BEDUCTIOX  OF  MTHAUC.B. 

The  nicthoc!  of  nprfhior,  npplirc!  to  {foformhif  hpatin«T 
powers,  on  the  sup])osilion  tliat  the  latter  arc  proportionate  to 
the  (luantity  of  oxygen  required  for  the  consumption  of  the 
coal,  was  employed  t)olh  in  the  Ameriean  and  British  re- 
searches. The  results  of  the  former  are  found  in  the  freneral 
synoptical  table  of  American  coals  hereafter  given,  The  fol- 
lowing '  '  

sioners. 


'■c  tlie  numbers  obtained  by  the  British  Commis- 


Names  of  coals  in  the  order  of  rcdiiciive 
powers. 


•a  o 


1,  Dalkeith  Coronation  Seam.... .„.,|  24. 5G 

3.  Portiiinawr  Rock  Vein , 24.78 

3.  Brooniiiill ., ,.,.,.'  2.'). ,32 

4.  Coiesiiill ..,., , i  26.14 


5,  Dalkeith  Jewel  Seam 

6.  Three-quarter  Rock  Vein. 

7,  Pontypool,. 

8.  Uedwas... .,...,.,.  


9.  Cwm  Frood  Rock  Vein. 

10.  Granffpinouth ,. 

11.  Bell'a  Patent  Fuel... 

12.  Wylam's  Patent  Fuel.... 


13.  Forde!  Splint 

14.  Wailsend  Elgin... 

15.  Cwnj  Nanty  Gros. 

16.  Duffryn , 


2(;.42 

2(;.(;2 

27.40 
28.20 


28.,')(> 

28.48 
28. 5> 

28.82 


21).  00 
2!».0G 
2i» .  fi4 
30.00 


17.  Slievcrdach  Anthracite...,, 

IS.  Mynydd  Newydd 

19.  Pentrepoth 

2<«.  Old  Castle  Fiery  Vein 


'•••••••■••«*»•••« 


81.  Ward's  Fiery  Vein 

23.  Warlich'8  Patent  Fuel 

23,  BinenCoal 

24.  fcbUw  Vale '*' 


.30.10 
30.34 

31.  k; 

31.42 


31,4G 
3J,,'-.0 
31,  €4 
32,00 


9!i.  Graigota 

26.  Resolven 

27.  I.iangenreck 

28.  Sitev«rdach  Anibraciie., 


32.08 
Hi.  Hi 

.12.  (jr. 

.33.48 


2i.20 


37.17 


28.53 


29.42 


,iii 


31.76 


33.53 


"-  r" 


!  —  !  i. 


5  =  ° 

5  "~  '-- 

fc-  k.  ^ 

o  i>  - 

Z  ^  ~ 

^  a,  «j 


i  *< 


o 
a.' 


r,    CI 


7.71 

7.,'-.3 
8,75 

8.00 


7.08 
8.84 
7.47 

a. 71^ 


8.70 
7.40 
8.53 
8.92 


7.. 'it! 

8.40 

H..35 

10.14 


9.85 
9.52 
8.72 

8.94 


9.40  I 
10. Of)  j 

9.94 ; 

10.21 


T.fli 


8.33 


8.38 


8.63 


9.26 


10.04 


9.35 
9..-K1 

8.8fi 
9.85 


9.39 


if. 


Ill 


7,9& 


The  last  of  the  above  average  pi'opoitions  of  lead  is  20 
per  cent,  greater  than  the  first,  while  the  corresponding  avc- 
rages  of  steam  generated,  show  a  dilference  of  17^  per  cent.; 
or  excluding  tlie  hist  set  of  four  samples,  31.7«  is  20  per  ei^nt. 
more  than  -^'i.'iO,  and  10.01  is  25.3  per  cent,  more  than  7.99  ; 
so  that  the  method  of  Berthier  up  to  this  point  proves  to  he  a 
much  nearer  approximalion  to  a  true  measure  of  economical 
value  than  either  of  the  preceding  methods. 

On  pages  58 1-5;S5  of  the  report  on  American  coals  will  be 
found  a  similar  comparison  between  the  evaporative  and  the 
reductive  powers  of  Anieriean  coals. 

PER  CENTA<;i:  OF  C.\Rr.ON%  AS  A  MEASURE  OF  HEATING  POWER. 

At  page  517  of  the  Report  on  American  coals,  after  a  discus- 
sion of  ultimate  analyses  of  New  Castle  Coal,  and  showing 
the  intimate  relation  which  those  analyses  had  with  the  ques- 
tion of  heating  power,  the  following  remark  was  added: 

"The  discussion  of  the  measure  of  heating  power,  con- 
tained in  the  present  description,  may  serve  to  showthebear- 
ing  upon  each  other  of  the  several   modes  of  testing  coals. 
It  is  to  be  regretted  that  an  opportunity  has  not  yet  occurred 
of  subjecting  all  the  samples  of  coal  to  the  same  species  of 
analyses  on  the  organic  method,  and  with  mixtures  from  frag- 
meats  of  many  s})eeimens,  in  order  that  tha  average  ultimate, 
as  well  as  proximate  constituents  of  each  may  become  known. 
The  earnest  desire  repeatedly  expressed  by  the  Department 
to  be  in  possession  of  the  results  of  these  experiments,  and 
the  want  of  further  ni)propriations  to  prosecute  this  impor- 
tant research  to  its  proper  termination, has  hitherto  precluded 
the  possibility  of  accomplishing  this  purpose  in  the  manner 
originally  designed.** 

On  the  nth  of  February,  1RJ.5,  the  writer  made  to  the 

Academy  of  Natural  Sciences  of  Philadelpliia  a  communi- 
cation relative  to  the  ditlercnt  methods  of  testing  the  heat« 
ing  power  of  fuel,  the  following  account  of  which  will  be 
found  in  the  proceedings  of  that  institution.  Vol.  11,  page  202. 
It  will  be  hereafter  seen  bow  completely  the  British  experi- 
ments confinn  the  deduction  made  from  the  six  trials  then 
compared ; 

"Some  of  the  methods  which  have  been  hitherto  employed 
by  chcmist.s  and  others,  to  ascertain  the  relative  heating 
powers  of  fuel,  are — 


tt 


I 


I 


IMI 


flf! 


,0" 


113 

"  1.  The  heating  of  water,  without  convertiiir.  it  into  va- 
pour,  as  practised  first  hy  Rum  ford,  and  morc^r  ece  Uy  hJ 
o  u.r  exponmcnters,  particularly  f>/  D.spn^t.  aud  d2„I 
Tlie  French  chemists  ass.uue  as  the  unit  of  calorific  power  I 
gram  ol  water  heated  1=  eentiorade.  {V,H  Fahr.)'' T  e  rami. 

IS  teimed  its  colorific  efftcicnci/. 

J'rA'  '^(''^'"^^^'■"A'- «/'«>•'?.  asin  the  calorimeter  of  Lavoisier 

.?'  ^l^^  f ''^'.•■'>  '•'  *^«''c  the  measure  of  elFeet. 
.i.   I  he  hm',ng  of  wr,  or  maintaining  a  etu-tain  difference 
between  an  mterior  room  in  which  comhustioa  is  conducted 
oT/w^urnr"''  ^-ll^-«'^Vthe  open  air.     Tlie  ;;^^ 
of  tnne  such  ditrerencc  ,s  maintained  by  a  -iven  wei<'ht  of 

sup,,os,l,o„  <  ,at  Ihe  lalt.ris  propo.lionule   .,  ,1,„  vvoi™t  „^' 

"  ^;  p%  reducfion  of  the  nhrntc  or  the  chlorate  of  potash  to 

ally  adchng  the  combustible,  till  complete  saturation  has  taken 

"  0,   The  practice  of  the  Cornish  en.^nncers,  of  measuring  t!ic 

boiler      .^^  '^'''  ''""'  ^"°'  ^"-^^'  ^^■^*'''"  '>""»^*J  «»^J«r  a 

boiler  drivmj,'  a  pumpmg  engine, 

"7.  7%e  (listillation  of  coals  to  ascertain  the  weiirht  of  fired 
carbon  Mtlu^,  cmtain,  suggested  by  the  experiments^/.M^ 
F>fe,  of  Edinburgh;  the  weight  of  tiiut  ciastituent  beiuS 
supposed  to  measure  the  heating  power.  ^ 

hp'nf:?  ^^^f""^'  ^^nalt/sisf  which  assumes  that  the  quantity  of 
hca  developed  by  an  organic  combustible,  depc^ids  on  the 
hea  ing  power  of  the  carbon  which  it  contains,  added  to  thai 
wifl  if. Tf  ^^■'''•«^^'^  ^'^'^^'^  ^vJ^-^^  i«  rerjuircJ  to  combine 
^  ed  w^?'^''"  '"forming  water.  This  method  has  been  ap. 
plied  b>  Messrs.  Pf^terson  and  Schoedler  to  wood,  and  by 
Hichardson,Ilegnault,  and  others,  to  coaK  ^ 

9.   i/^e  r/»,Tc-<  or  practical  trial  bt/  eraporation,  as  practised 

hf  G  e'^t' R  *;^^.^^^ V^i^'^^^^-^  Fyfe/Scha'uf  hauM  and^M^  by. 
m  Great  Bn  am;  hy  Messrs.  S.  L.  Dana,  A.  A,  Haves  J    A 

fThrre^nTr^  nwe  reeeufly  by  the  wri'ter  i„  thircountrv; 
(The  results  of  the  tnab  la^t  referred  to  are  contained  in  tl'w 


113 


Report  to  the  Xavy  Dcpnrtincnt  on  American  coals  recently 

publisliwl  hy  Congress.) 

**  1(K  The  rndting  of  von  rither  In  a  rpvirTipratory  or  a 
cnpola  I'lirtiJU'e,  the  weight  of  iiK'fal  fused  by  one  part  of 
CoinhuslihUi  being  the  standitrd  of  cotuparison. 

'Ml.  The pcrformaitce of  smltJi's  vork of  n  unifo-in  rharocter, 
such  as  the  nianufactiirlng  of  eliains  by  means  of  the  several 
varieties  of  fuel.  The  nuni))er  of  links  of  chain  formed  by 
a  given  weight  of  each  coal,  is  here  the  measure  of  useful 
ctt'ect. 

"The  of»jcct  of  the  present  commnnication  is  mainly  io  ex- 
hibit the  relation  between  the  results  obtained  by  the  eighth, 
and  those  by  the  ninth  method  of  trial  above  mentioned.  ^ 

"The  existence,  in  bitiuninous  coals,  of  variable  proportions 
of  nearly  pure  charcoal,  is  referred  to  as  furnishing  evidence 
of  a  want  of  homogeneousness  in  this  class  of  l)odies.     A 
diversity  of  results  may  consequently  be  expected  when  ulti- 
mate analysis  is  resorted  to  for  the  purpose  of  establishing  a 
theory  of  tran?^ mutations,  or  of  demonstrating  what  changes 
have  occurred  in  bringing  vegetalde  sul)stanccs  into  the  state 
of  bituminous  coal.    Those  who  assume  ivoodij  fibre  as  the  sole 
hasis  from  which  it  has  been  <lerived,  do  not  pretend  to  prove 
that  the  other  proximate  constituents  of  vegetables,  the  resi- 
nous matter,  for  example,  and  the  oily  components  of  seeds, 
have  been  wholly  removed.     Hence  analyses  of  coal  applied 
to  this  purpose   may  not  always  lead  to  unobjectionable  in- 
ferences.    But  as  means  of  determining  the  calorific  power  of 
combustible  bodies,  they  may,  especially  when  performed  on 
average  samples,  or  multiple  specimens,  nllbrd  information 
hoth  ititcresting  to  science  and  valuable  to  the  arts. 

**The  relation  between  the  calorific  Xiower  calculated  from 
analysis,  and  the  practical  heating  power  decided  by  evapo- 
rating water,  is  determined  for  six  ditlercnt  varieties  of  bitu- 
minous coals,  varying  considerably  in  their  composition. 

"In  applying  calculations  to  the  ultimate  analysis  of  coals 
as  well  as  to  the  products  of  combustion,  the  atomic  weight 
of  carbon  is  assumed  to  he  six,  of  oxygen  eight,  and  of  nitro- 
gen fourteen  times  that  of  hydrogen,  in  accordance  with  the 
recent  determinations  of  Dun»as.  In  calculating  evaporative 
powers,  the  latent  heat  of        im  is  taken  at  1030°. 

*'In  .ascertaining  the  relative  efliciencies  and  values  of  com- 
bustible bodies,  with  a  view  to  economical  applications,  it  is 
ncessary  to  take  them  either  as  found  in  nature,  or  as  sup- 
plied to  commerce,  including,  of  course,  whatever  impurities 
they  may  chance  to  contain.    But  in  order  to  deduce  general 


I' 


M 


n 


ill     V 


114 

rplatjons  brtwo«'n  bodies  «l;fr,'rently  coiiMfituted.  in  rrjxard  par- 
ticularly to  their  comhustihU;  roust iliii'uff*,  the  ronipnrison 

nuisr  be  nui(U- !»[>erde(hicliri;;  the  wjistc  mu\  ineojolHisfihle 
matter  fmiiul  in  the  onulc  slutt;  c.f  t\w  fuel.  This  j»rineij>lc  is 
ap])Iie(!  holh  to  the  ullinutte  anaJvse.s  and  to  the  evjiiionitive 
cx])erinierils;  niidheiieciii  the  lulfowinj;  tahle  h(Hh  fftt^  vofrw 
lutt'd  rraporotirr.  poivn'  of  the  citihon  const ifnrnt,  (rohiuui  ITi,) 
and  the  tofal  ciytport/fifr  fficicnrifhij  r.rpcriincHt,  (eohiiun  IS,) 
are  referred  to,  uud  culcul.-ifecl  lor, one  purl  by  wei;-!*!  of  cw/i- 
hiisfihfe  mafter. 

•*  Ti)e  relation  between  the  frcf  and  the  tolotHc  comluD^ti- 
ble  matters  of  coals,  is  iiahle  to  eonsiderable  variation,  ac- 
cordiuj?  to  the  rate  ofdistillatiou  to  ^vhich  they  are  sul))eete<|. 
The  more  slowly  this  process  iseorulucfed,  the  higher  (within 
certain  liinils)  will  be  tho  proportion  of  i'lwd  curhon.*  The 
estimation  of  heating  powers.  Ilierefore,  from  the  ipianti- 
ty  of  lixcd  carbon  whieh  coals  contain,  if  not  wholly  crrone- 
oJis  in  principle,  must  be  liable  to  considerable  unceriainty  in 
practice,  "^ 

"Many  bisfhiy  !»ituminoMM  coa?s  contain  more  tijan  5  per 
cent,  of  materials  converted  into  amm(»niaeal  litpior  bvsimjde 
distillation  without  contact  of  air.  This  U  proved'  on  the 
largest  scale  in  the  manufacture  of  illnnilnaf  ing  pas.  That 
proportion,  therefore,  is  not  only  unavailable  for  beatin'^'  pur- 
poses, but  it  also  al)stracts  from  the  really  combustible  mate- 
rials of  the  fuel,  all  the  beat,  t^ensiblc  atid  latent,  wliich  the 
vaporized  ammoniacal  prmlucts  receive  during  combustion. 

"The  proper  water  of  comhusfion,  namely,  that  derived  from 
the  hydrogen  in  cxrrsit,  an«l  oxygen  of  the  atniosj)herc,  must 
111  every  mstance  where  heat  is  applied  to  cvajiorate  water 
above  the  boiling  point,  as  in  all  oniinary  steam  boMcrs,  be 
likewise  incapable  of  giving  up  its  latent/ as  well  us  much  of 
Its  sensible  heat. 

"The  average  specific  gravicy  of  the  six  varieties  of  bitumi- 
nous  coals  assayed  is  l.ai— that  of  water  at  «(P  being  unity. 
Admitting  the  hydrogen  in  its  solid  state  lo  have  a  density  of 
only  1.25,  it  must,  in  passing  into  ihe  stxitc.  first  of  gaseous 
hydrogen,  and  then  into  that  of  watery  vapour,  (still  having 
the  same  bulk  as  the  hydrogen,)  undergo  an  enlargement  to 
21 17  times  its  original  bulk.  This  volume  is  further  increased 
accordmg  to  the  usual  law  of  gaseous  expansion,  by  whatever 
heat  above  boiling  point  is  left  in  the  vapour,  when  it  passes 
away  from  the  surface  to  be  healed.     In  o  well  constructed 

•See  Proceedinga  of  the  Acad,  of  Nat.  Sciences,  Vol.  2,  pages  9-10. 


i 

jj 

i 

s    - 

I.J,.:i:«:,;.7rtflSSS!r. 

115 

evaporative  npparntus  pmhicjn;?  ^tram  of  0  pounds  pr«  stirc, 
in  which  the  rirnuit  trnvers.d  hv  the  ^JiNts  .ill rr  passing;  the 
Brutf%:m<I  Wfore  r<;.'uh»nj;  tho  diimiHy,  \vi»s  I'Jl  l.ct  tho  t«in- 
i>cratur«ortl.c  ^^ast-s  %vus  gmerally  iil.out  100'  i.l.ovc  the 
Lnlitisf  point  ;  and  the  watrry  vapour,  hcin«  of  coursr  sur- 
chrtr-f.l  wilhheiit,  possoss,-,!  -JirJl  timrslhr  hidU  ^vl^u;h  it  Imd 
in  thi-  M)Iid  st.'it*'  and  ut  ♦".()  dc-rt'cs  of  tcinpi'mTim:. 

"lU-lhc  rxpt'nnu'nl.sot'lnilon^-,(Con)ptrs  Itciidiis,  torn.  7,  ) 
one  "VMU  of  pun-  carhon  d»'v«'loiH's,  in  l.iirniri<r,  heat  ««noug)» 
to  rJIiso  t!u«  trniporalttrr  of  7170  ;;vams  .)f  WiitiT,  T  crnti. 
crndf.  OP  l*Ji)0<i  «rarns  T  Fahrrn!irit.  This  !atti«r  ntmiheris, 
thcr4'r«rr,  used  us  a  .-iM-nicient,  »)y  which  to  niultii)ly  th(>  niim- 
Wrs  in  th«>  I'Jlh  coUiinn  ofthr  toHovviiij,'  tiihlc-  to  obTam  those 
of  tl»e  1  "»t!j.  Hv  the  san»e  atitliority,  1  Kfam  of  ^'^/.vfo//*  hy. 
aro;;tn  gives  heat  hvifficient  to  rui.sc  C„V»'^^  grams ot  water  I 

"Th«'  avt'ra5?e  excess  of  hi/(ho;::cn  for  tlic  six  varieties  of  coal 
bv  evaporation,  as  deduerd  from  eohnnns  VA  and  Mot  tlio^ 
tah!«\  is  UVM\  per  cent,  whicli,  calcula«>d  after  th«-  manner  ot 
the  lunropean  ciieinists,  onj^ht  to  possess  an  evaporat  i ve  power 
of  '*.SIU  Tliis  would  raise  t)ie  avt-ra^c  of  the  ir.lh  roUimn 
from  HK700  to  13."»1 1,  as  t!»e  catetihited  evaporative  power  of 
the  unit  of  eomhustiide  matter,  j^howinir  tl»e  ealeulated  to  be 
26.3  per  cent.  hii;Uvf  than  the  experimental  etlect. 

•See  also  Peolct,  Trait6  de  la  Chaleur,  Tom.  I,  p.  50. 


I 


116 


Table  exhibiting  the  anahjscn  of  nfverol  vnrictiesqf  Bituminous 

with  the  cufcuitttftl  Olid  the  nprrimrntal 


1  I 


Detignaiion  of  the 

coal*. 

s 

V 

I 

Prokioiate  Aiiulynii. 

Uttimnte 

aniilysis. 

Cotnjiosition  of  th«»  raw 
100  {inrtii. 

COD I  in 

h 
•3  .: 

o 

e4 

Groin*  of 

9 

1 

c 

9 
3 

••• 

§ 

1 

1 

8 

JS 

« 

• 

§ 

a, 

.1 

1'.; 

"  :   s 

.1!       -S 

• 

I 
u 

u 

Summit    Portngr  i 
rnilroaJ,  Cam*  [- 
bria  Co.,  P».     ) 

1.3G17 

0.700 

t.500 

18.195 

64.245 

15.360 

3.535 

7.2620.62 

1 

1 
3.93; 

Midlotliinn  '•  new  ) 
cbatt,"  Virginia.  ^ 

1.3000 

0.9M 

2.282 

2!).27l 

(12.050 

5.48ni,!)6fl 

1 

2.23 

New  Cttstle,  KnglM. 

l.2:.6T 

lAGl 

28.312 

63.377 

1.650  2.415 

6.4619.56  3.21 

Clover  Ilill.Virginia. 

1.2887 

1.277 

0.5M 

28.-10!) 

n5.425 

4.375  2.2fi8'6.05'l7.<5R'2.58' 
1          1        .         t        1 

Scotch. 

I.275i» 

J.3C:. 

35.5ft(i 

(-.0.342 

•2.707 

1.6U6 

7.64,2-"  ('0:<  75 

Cnseyvilte,    Ksn-  ^ 

tucky.nnd Cnn*  v 
neltoii,  Iiidiiins.  } 

1.3920 

1.150 

nO.GC!) 

14.49:* 

23.687 

1.450 

4  21 

8.96 

I 
192 

Averages, 

'"*  *  ■*' 



j 

Osage  River,  Miv.     , 

;;J000 

1.670 

0.462 

U.34e 

51.16<i 

5.340 

1.237  6.04 

1995 

3.69 

Pure  bitumen.           I.U5S 

.000 

72..J3e 

24. 7&!) 

2.7G1  0.312  8.16  22.60 
1         t        1 

"i 

Remarks.-~T1ip  evaporative  trials  were  performed  tiy  burning  atiout  two  tons  of 
each  tiind  of  coal,  under  a  boiler  capable  of  evaporating  15  cubic  feci  of  water  per 
hour. 

If  appeirs  that,  on  an  overage,  these  coats  expended  in  evaporating  water  from 
the  boiler  85.35,  and  on  the  products  of  their  coiiibustiou  14.65  per  ceat.  of  their 


9 


in 

Coal,  both  into  their  proximate  and  their  ultimate  constitmr't, 
determination  of  their  emporativc  powers. - 


Bjr  calculAtioA  109  part*  of 
the    romhuMUkti   matter 
are  found  to  be  constiiu 
ted  of 


I 


91.955 

93.630 

84.157 
83  393 
8u>.I>52 

7C.335 


8l.(?55 
77.679 


6 


5.876 

5.739 

5026 
4.958 


c« 

B 

M 
O 


2.178 

0.641 

10.218 
11.649 
11.441 

6.G63     17.002 


I  It; 

i-    £    n 

Si  s  ■* 

•*  a  H 
I,"    - 


V 
e  e 
-  u 


6.168  1  11.977 

i 
8.023  I  14.298 


•a 

"si 
— 
"3 


Practical  evapurntlve  power. 


Ponnild  of  water 
from  212'^  to  one  of 
combustible  matter. 


11.522 

11.731 

10.545 
10.445 
10.393 

9.565 


10.7U0 

10.256 

9.464 


s 


c 

> 


10.2.'»8 
10.191 

9.178 

8.568 
8,868 

7.734 


9.133 


a   o 

it  t. 

*-! 

1    = 

D    « 
J=    3 

2  o  o 
t  a-  <«. 

s.-§ » 

o   £   m 

p>»  a.  u 

>1    3 


e  V 


41 


4<  ■ 
O 


1.319 

1.269 

1.720 
1.949 
1.338 

1.823 


B 
S 
V 

a  <M 


^r 


e 


11.550 

11.460 

10.898 
10..W 
10.206 

9.557 


II 

■5  a 


:  S 


u  e 

>.  ^ 

-•I 

u  3 

a  a 

2  *j 


—.028 
+  .271 

—  353 

—.082 
+  .187 

+.008 


1.5685     10.701 


whn!e  hpntin?  powtn.     Both  th^  sv7n  and  the  vtimher  of  ilifll'rences  between  the 
practicnl  and  cnlciilatrd  evaporative  powers,  nfleeted  by  the  positive  .sigii,  are  seen 
in  tiie  last  coiumii  to  be  the  same  as  those  atlecled  by  the  negative  8i[;n. 
No  evap3rative  trials  of  Osage  coal,  or  of  bitumen,  have  been  made. 


I 


118 

"  The  data  furnished  l)y  the  preceding  table  aflbrd  the 
means  of  ascertaining  the  ])roj)or1ion  of  its  carbon  voLatilizcd 
in  the  distiUalion  of  the  combustible  matter  in  each  kind  of 
coal. 

"The  calcalations  prove  that  of  its  whole  caibon  constitu- 
ent, the  per  centage  volatilized,  was  as  follows  : 

Cambria  county  coiil 1(),7(>7 

Midlothian,  new  shaft         ...         -     20. 15)5 

Newcastle l^VJUV 

Clover  Hill Hi-^l^ 

Scotch  Cannel 21.100 

Caseyville,  Ky.,  Cannel       -        -         -        -    22.152 

A'ld  ihat  the  average  was       -         -         -     20.H8,'{ 
"  Tht)  Urntitt/  of  results  obtained  in  the  averages  of  the 
15th  and  IHlh  columns  should  seem  to  dcmonslnite  that  the 
heating  power  of  bituminous  coals  is  proportionate  to  the 
carbon  which  they  severally  contain." 

The  Hritish  experimenter.s  continued  their  analyses  of  the 
coals  till  every  sample  had  been  submitted  to  both  proximate 
and  ultimate  determination.  In  the  American  exi)eriments 
time  was  not  allowed  before  the  report  was  dem;uuled,  for 
extending  the  ultimate  analyses  to  more  than  one-eighth  part 
of  the  samples.  From  such  trials  as  were  made,  the  deduc- 
tion which  a])pearcd  to  be  authorized  by  a  careful  compari- 
son between  the  constituents  of  the  coals  and  their  evapora- 
tive efficiency,  was,  that  the  latter  depended  upon  the  total 
amount  of  carbon  in  the  coal  If  the  hydrogen  had  been,  as 
most  European  chemists  had  contended,  the  more  edicient 
element,  weight  for  weight,  then  all  highly  ])ilunnnous  coals 
ought  to  have  presented  a  greater  heating  power  than  those 
of  lower  bitinuinousness.  Holh  the  British  and  American  ex- 
periments concur  in  ])i-oving  the  reverse  of  this  to  be  the  fact. 
Indeed,  the  observed  deficiency  in  heating  power  of  the  highly 
bituminous  class  where,  for  example,  the  ratio  of  fixed  to 
volatile  eomhusiible  is  nearly  one  of  e(puility,  or,  as  1  to  1  ; 
and  the  increasing  evaporative  power  as  we  approach  the 
free  burning  bituminous  and  the  anthracite  class,  might  na- 
turally conduct  us  to  this  conclusion.* 


*To  verify  completely  this  principle,  a  full  series  of  ultimatr  analyses  was  re- 
quired, anJ  ihronirli  the  tardiness  of  the  American,  we  have  now  to  thank  the 
British  Government  for  supplying  the  data  necessary  for  at  leant  a  partial  verifica- 
tion of  this  important  principle.  The  writer  can  take  to  himself  no  share  ot  the 
blame  for  thus  allowing;  foreigners  to  anticipate  us  in  an  important  investigation. — 
He  has,  since  the  Report  on  American  coals  was  rendered,  repeatedly  brought  to 


no 

To  show  the  value  of  llie  researches  hy  the  method  of  ulti- 
mate analysis,  and  the  important  hearing  which  the  results 
now  ohtailied  on  the  other  side  of  the  water  h:ive  upon  the 
practical  cojiipulation  of  heating  powers,  as  founded  on  the 
proportions  of  carhon,  the  lollowing  table  is  presented: 

the  attention  of  the  Navy  IX'partment,  the  necessity,  both  for  practical  and  gene- 
ral usefulness,  of  a  conlinuanee  of  those  researches.  In  that  Report  itself,  the  very 
points  vvhicli  die  British  e.\[)erinieniers  have  evidently  labored  with  the  greatest 
care,  were  signali/ed  as  tiie  parts  which  for  want  of  time  and  of  appropriations, 
were,  aniong  the  American  researches,  left  in  an  unfinished  condition  ;  and  it  waa 
expressly  stated  that  they  were  so  left  on  account  of  the  pressing  urgency  of  the 
Department  to  be  in  possession  of  the  practical  results  of  the  investigation.  To  ag- 
gravate the  disappointment,  and  seemingly  in  disregard  of  the  desire  which  had  been 
expressed  in  many  quarters  for  the  continuation  of  the  American  experiments,  the 
authorities  having  contiol  of  the  Washington  Navy  Yard,  allowed  the  valuable 
apparatus,  constructed  with  so  much  care  and  expense,  to  be  dismantled  and  vir- 
tually destroyed,  the  boiler  cut  up  and  applied  toother  puipoaes,  the  appendages 
Bcattered  and  rendered  useless,  and  even  the  collections  of  numerous  specimens  of 
coal,  preserved  from  all  the  samples  for  future  analysis,  distribution  and  compari- 
son, to  be  turned  into  the  common  stock  of  fuel,  and  burned  up  by  the  workmen! 

It  is  within  the  knosvledge  of  the  writer  that  numbers  of  applications  have  been 
ma'Je  to  the  (Government  from  different  parts  of  the  country,  desiring  ihal  his  ex- 
periments on  coal  should  be  continued.  Before  tlii«  can  be  done,  it  will  be  neces- 
sary to  reconstruct  the  apparatus  thus  allowed  to  be  destroyed.  Some  part  of 
the  means  which  would  have  been  necessary  for  the  prosecution  of  the  researches 
must  now  be  employed  in  reproducing  the  apparatus.  By  an  estimate  of  the  En- 
gineer of  the  Navy  Yard,  this  will  cost  about  .n,'{,(I(10.  But  no  pecuniary  appro- 
priations can  ever  restore  the  valuable  collection  of  specimens  thus  allowed  to  be 
hopelessly  destroyed. 


. 


120 

TcfhJe  exhihiting  the  coals  arranged  in  the  order  of  the  per 
hij  the  (tmihjsis  of  average  specimens,  and  the  evaporative 
the  data  being  found  in  the  respective  tables  at  page  1 1  and 


!  , 


1  m 

■ill  I 


Name  of  Coal. 


Per  centnge  of    Average  per 


Carbon  by 
analysis. 


cent,  of  Car- 
bon. 


«. 
7. 
9. 

9. 
10. 
11. 
12. 

IS. 

14. 
If;. 

k;. 

17. 

18. 
19. 
2U. 
21. 

23. 

21. 
25. 

20. 
27. 

28. 
21). 


Park  Eiid.Lydney  (l'orebtofPean)i 
Coleshill ,    ' 


Dalkeiili  Jewel  Seam... 
Portlunawr  Rork  Vein. 


t r •■•# • * 


Three-quarter  Rock  Vein., 

Wail.senil  Elgin 

Dalkciili  Coronation  Serm. 
Cwni  lNianty-gro8...... 


Resolven , , 

f'onlet  Splint , 

Grangemouth 

Wylanj's  Patent  FueJ. 


Slieverdach  Anthracite. 

Bedwas „.., ,, 

Poniypool  ..,..„.,♦»,...„. 

Brooinliill 

Cwm  Frood  Rock  Vcirj. 


Mynydd  Newydd...,.,., 

Graigola ,..,, 

Llnngenneck , 

Old  Castle  Fiery  V*'iH. 


Wnrd's  Fiery  Vein. 
BellV  Patent  Fuel., 

Dufliyu 

Binea , 


Pcntrepoth ,„., 

Kbbw  V;ile. .....,.,  

\V'arlicl)'.s  Patent  Fut'l. 
Aiilliriicitc,  (Wf  l.«li}.... 


7:J.52 

74.r)5 
74,70 


75.15 

7<i..')3 
"6.!M 
78. 3G 


79.  .'W 

7!>..'J8 
79.85 
79.91 


HO.U.'l 
60. (il 
80.70 
«i.70 
82.25 


84.71 

f4.i^7 
!!<5.46 
b7,G8 


87,87 
fe7.88 

bH.2(; 


{^8.72 
M.78 
1)0,03 

yi,4t 


74.15 


?6,63 


79.67 


81.06 


85.68 


88.19 


PO.M 


Steam  ttt  1  of 

Coal  by  e.t- 

periment. 

8.53 
8,00 
7.08 
7.53 


8.84 
8,'Ui 
7.7t 

e.42 


9..'..*J 

7.5fi 
7,40 

8.92 


t>.b5 
9.71 
7.47 
8.75 
8.7U 


9.r)2 
9.:j5 

8.86 
8.94 


1».40 

8..'')3 

10.14 

!>.y4 


(<.72 
10.21 

J0.<10 

y.4(j 


m 


tcntagc  of  cnrhon  which  thcrj  severally  contain^  as  determined 
potvcr  given  by  the  same  coal  irhcn  tested  under  the  steam  boiler, 
12,  of  the  Report  of  the  British  Commissioners, 


Steam  to  1  of 

Average 

Hydrogen  in 

Avera£»e 

of  coal  after 

Average 

Steam  by 

fteam 

excess    m 

eX'  ess  of  Hy- 

<le(iuctiiig 

after  deduct- 

calculation. 

power. 

each  coal. 

drogen. 

cinder. 

ini»  cinder. 

4.88 

8.98 

4. It 

8.34 

3.20 

7.10 

4.3  J 

7.75 

7  78 

4.13 

8.04 

8.24 

4.,'i() 

8.C7 

4.5!) 

7.8fi 

3.4t 

8.83 

4.yo 

8  35 

4.30 

8.45 

6.51 

4.7;> 

10.44 

4.4i> 

7.<ill 

4.2t 

7.91 

4.8G 

9.74 

8»C*# 

4.57 

8.94 

8.85 

3.30 

10.40 

S.biJ 

y.99 

6.11 

8.04 

5.-I» 

9.18 

r..:w 

935 

8.69 

4.^8 

9.41 

9.01 

5.36 

10,5<> 

2.!)4 

9.fi« 

3.1)0 

8.2U 

4.47 

9.17 

4.17 

981 

9.52 

3.93 

10. GO 

5.17 

e.(;5 

4.59 

10.73 

4.51 

)0.30 

9.50 

4.55 

10.06 

9.80 

4.10 

8.98 

5.10 

lO.W 

5.5S 

lO.GO 

3.J4 

9.70 

9  7'» 

4.17 

9.98 

1000 

From  the  above  table  we  may,  without  deducting  for  the 
residual  cinder,  derive  the  relation  of  the  steam-generating 
power  of  the  coals  to  the  amount  of  their  carbon  constituent. 
Thus  the— 


^fi. 


i\ 


>n 


ii 


li 


III 


122 

SteatR,  I»y      Strom  bjr      Diff'-renc*'  of 
Cnrbon.  exp^rinifnt,    catcniaiion   exj»'i&.calcu'n. 

Ist  cloM  four  coaU  74  15  per  cent.,  7.«i^  pounds,  »s  03  pounJs,  •— .'J.'i 
ad     "     fiiuf     "     "«i*i3        "  8:i.>       "      «'»7      "        -(-y<* 

3d     "    /fl«r     "    ?l».«7       "  H»;.i       "      8t;0      "        +.»5 

4th    "     /Ire      "    81(16       «  8H9       "      875      "        +14 

6th   "     four    "    f'»>ii*       "         9  17       ••      l»r>5     "       —M 
fith    "     four    "    t*«»3       "  iliM       "      U:*!      "        —01 

7«h  "    futir    "   w»9i»      "        y.:5     "     y.75     "      +.(M» 

Thp  4  positiv*-  (liiffrences  ainotint  to H--27 

Tfae3  negative        "  "        —•"*■* 

Total  average  difllrcnce — -U^ 

The  accordance  between  these  results  is  rcmarUahIc,  wljcn 
we  consider  that  no  nocount  is  taUen  in  flio  calculations 
of  the  Hritish  experimenters  of  the  moisture  iii  the  corjl;  ami 
Avhcn  it  is  recoUectctl  that  two  coals  of  the  .series  aj-e  true 
anthracites,  the  hurnin;?  of  which  ahvay.s  involves  the  exi^'ll- 
diture  of  more  of  its  heatin«^  power  on  the  products  of  com- 
bustion than  is  demanded  by  citlicr  tlje  frcehurriinj;  or  the 
highly  bituminous  coals, 

Tliough  the  table  presents  some  deviations  amo!i<;f  the  in- 
dividual coals  from  the  law,  tlutt  an  increase  of  the  carbon 
constituent  of  coa!  is  attended  by  a  proiwrtional  increase 
in  its  evaporative  ctiiciency»  yet  by  grouping  a  lew  together, 
the  deviations  essentially  neutralize  each  others  ctlccts,  and 
the  hnv  which  the  writer  had  demonstrated  willi  respect  to 
a  few  coals  of  high  bituminousness,  can  now  be  extcji<lcd  to 
all  classes  of  bituminous  coals  and  to  anthracites. 

One  consideration  may  serve,  in  part,  to  explain  any  dis- 
crepancies among  the  individual  sam])l('S  of  coa!  wiui.di  may 
present  themselves  in  com])aring  the  members  of  the  !?'eries. 
now  midcr  review.  Besides  carbon,  considered  as  a  solid 
fuel,  the  sulphur  in  coal,  by  combining  with  oxygen  to 
form  sulphurous  acid,  gives  out,  a  notable  quantity  of  heat, 
sunicient  in  some  cases  to  cause  spontaneous  combustion. 
The  proportion  of  sul]»hur  to  oxygen  in  that  compound 
is  1(5  to  1(5,  (SOg,)  and  tlie  vapor  of  sul|)ln)rous  rieid  beiufj 
very  heavy,  (only  i  of  the  volume  of  hydrogen.)  this  mate- 
riafdoes  not,  like  hydrogen,  (see  Report  on  Auieriean  <'oals, 
page  5!>(),)  consume,  in  assuming  the  gaseous  form,  all  the  heat 
given  out  in  burning  into  sulphurous  acid. 

It  may  further  be  remarked,  that  thediscrepanciesobserva- 
ble  among  the  averages  arc  (|iu!e  within  the  errors  of  obser- 
vation ;  and  though  it  might  be  expected,  that  in  associating 
them  into  groups,  the  etleet  would  i)e  to  neutrali/e  tliese  errors, 
yet  it  is  possible,  that  in  regard  to  a  whole  group,  the  frrors 
niav  all  be  in  one  direction. 


128 


Thh  devclopemcnt  finally  sets  asulc  the  old  calculations 
about  the  r«'l:iTivc  heating  powers  of  the  carbon  and  of  the 
hy(Ii'ojj:on  in  coats.  Hy  \\u^  prituiiple  of  that  calculation,  any 
coal  hu\  ini^  a  high  ilogrec  of  hituniinoti.sness,  ought,  in  con- 
Setjucrico  of  the  largo  projjortion  of  hydrogen  in  its  bitumen, 
to  possf'sjj  a  much  higtior  heating  power  than  any  coal  of 
lower  hituminousness.  An  inspection  of  the  table  wiUxhow 
the  reverse  rf  this  to  be  true.  Tlie  higher  the  bituminousiics!«, 
or  in  Older  vvords,  the  greater  the  proportion  of  volatile  mat- 
ter a  coal  contains,  the  less  is  its  available  heating  power. 
The  fact  has  been  pointe<l  >ut  in  former  publications  of  the 
writer,  that  when  solid  hydrogcm  (that  being  its  state  ineoa!) 
is  converted  by  the  ellcct  of  heat  into  gas(>ous  hydrogen,  It 
requires  I'or  this  change  a  large  amount  of  heat,  as  experi- 
menlijlly  proved  in  the  manufacture  of  illuminating  gas. 
The  hydrogen  thus  brouglit  to  (he  gaseous  state,  assumes  the 
same  bulk  at  a  given  teM»i)erature,  say  ailiJ^*,  as  it  will  retain 
at  the  same  temper.-iture  when  converted  into  the  vapor  of 
water  under  atmos})heric  pressure  ;  and,  conseciuentJy,  unless 
we  can  suppose  the  capacity  for  heat  of  gaseous  liydrogen, 
bulk  for  l>ulk,  ^o  be  greater  than  (hat  of  the  vapor  of  water. 
We  can  conceive  no  reason  why  it  should  give  out  more  heat 
in  combining  with  oxygen,  than  it  had  taken  up  in  being  con- 
vened inio  gas.  The  iiril  ish  Commissioners  rel'er  to  this  view 
of  (lie  subject,*  but  do  not  clearly  express  an  opinion  of  its 
validity. 

For'unately,  their  silence  is  of  the  less  importance,  as 
their  own  experimetits  furnish  abundant  proofs  of  the  cor- 
rectness of  the  principle.  In  order  more  clearly  to  exhibit 
the  independence  of  hydro^fn  efficierict/  in  computing  heating 
powers  from  analysis,  we  liave  placed  in  the  above  table  the 
per  centage  of  hydrogen  found  in  each  sample  of  coals  From 
this  eolumu  the  averages  are  deduced,  and  a  glance  will  show 
that  .so  far  as  any  law  or  relation  is  perceptible,  the  coals  of 

•  At  piige  19  of  the  Hritish  Report,  tile  $)rinciple  that  gaseous  Jevel  )petnenl  is  a 
cause  of  c'ooliiitr,  !)inl  that  tt»e  heal  expended  on  roiivertiiig  a  material  info  gas, 
may  be  just  eijual  to  wiiat  it  will  ufteivvaids  j,'ive  out  in  burning,  is  recogniied  in 
the  foliowiiif^  tcriiis: 

"If,  hy  (Jcstiuctive  di9til!ation,whicf»  orcorsiii  ftirnaces  before  coiiibuBtion, n  farge 
quantity  of  the  constituents  of  the  coal  are  rendered  gaseous,  so  much  heat  is  rs- 
pended  in  this  act  that  the  heat  developed  hy  their  alter  combustion  i»  frequejuly 
not  greater  ihaij  that  abstiactei  durin<,' their  formation,  in  which  case  a  ihcriijo- 
Ceutrality  occuts." 

Thisshouhi  have  rendered  the  coniiiussioners  cautiotts  in  admitting  the  hydrocen 
constituent  into  so  large,  or,  ind.vd,  into  any  participation  in  the  h«ating  fiower. 
They  say,  that  "lor  steam  purposes, it  waa  siiffictent to de termint; the  percentage  of 
coke,  as  stated  »ii  table  11."    S?te  above  p.  75. 


f 
I 

I?  I 


11 


124 


hi«?!iest  hcntin?  powers  nrc  t!iosp  which  hav«  the  lowf^st  per* 
centnpc  of  hydrogen.  Thus  the  four  eorils  which  have  a  heat- 
ini;?  power  of  7.78,  have  excess  of  hydrogen,  4.1 »;  the  four  hav- 
ing a  heating  power  of  0.17,  have  of  hydrogen  in  excess,  i.l7. 
It  will  also  he  noted  that  an  inlermediatc  ch-iss  of  coals  having 
a  heating  power  of  8.()5  has  a  higher  per  cent  age  of  hydrogen 
than  either  of  tlje  ahove,  viz,  4.57.  This  is  as  we  might  ex- 
pect to  find  it,  if  the  hydrogen  he  truly  without  edicieney  in 
tlic  practical  use  of  coal.  Indeed,  the  hydrogen  appears  Ironi 
the  practical  tests  thus  far  adduced,  no  more  to  merit  conside- 
cration  as  an  element  of  evaporative  etrieiency  in  a  coal,  than 
an  equal  weight  of  silica,  alumina,  oxide  of  iron,  or  other  inert 
substance  found  in  its  eartliy  residium  or  ash, 

E.^RTHY  RESIDUES  OF  THE  COALS. 

In  computing  t!ie  quantity  of  coml)ustihle  matter  in  the 
coal  burned,  it  is  safer  to  adopt  the  result  of  analysis  by  the 
furnace  than  of  that  by  the  crucible.  In  several  instances, 
both  in  the  American  and  British  researches,  it  appears  that 
wide  discrepancies  existed  between  the  per  centages  of  abso- 
lutely incombustible  matter,  as  proved  by  these  two  methods 
of  analysis.  Thus  the  British  Commissioners  found  by  their 
laboratory  analyses,  and  by  the  weighing  and  analyzing  of 
the  residues  from  the  furnace,  the  following  proportions  of 
waste  or  absolutely  incombustible  matter. ^ 


Name  of  Coal. 


a 


*• •• •♦••••ta*»  I 


putlVyn  . 

Oldciifitle  fiery  Vein... 

Ward's  Fiery  V«jh 

Bin^a 

Llaf)ceiinefk 

MyiiydU  Newydd 

Tlnee-qusrier  Ruck  Vein.. 
Pentrefi'iin... 

Park  Ki»il 

PeJitrf{)oth 

Cwm  t'rood  Rock  Vein,.. 

Welch  Authrac.te.... 

Cwiu  Naniy-gros 

Wylam's  Patent  Fuel 


•  * •  ••••••••■•>*' 


3. 

3. 

o 

~7. 
.*) 

«; 

3 

10 
I  6 
UO 

!3 
G 

I 


t>4 

2(i 
M 
,04 

.!»«; 

.54 

.•2i 

.<k; 

.OR 

.m 

.3(i 

.m 


*'      At 


:i.78 

•2M 
<i.2.') 
4.77 
1.2i\ 
G.13 
4.4fi 
14.22 
3.20 
7,44 
5.b2 
(5,10 
4.2.'» 
a. 43 


I  .it 


Nome  of  Coal. 


C3 

c 
5^^ 


(Iraiigeinouth ■  3. 

Brooiiiliiil >j  3. 

Rrsolven '  9. 

Foi  ty  Pool j  .'">. 

Hedwns ...'  (J. 

Forih  Mawr ,14. 

Wnrhcli's  Patent  Fuel...;  2. 

Ebbw  Vale ..|   I . 

Fordel  Splint I  4. 

Coleshill '  8 

Klievardngh  Anthracite,., 10 

Wnllsend  Elgin 10 

Dalkeith  Coronation 3 


^i2 

(17 
41 
.'■)2 


Dalkeith  Jewel  Seam. 
Bell's  PatetU  Fuel 


.91 
.50 
.00 
.i)2 
.SO 
.70 
.10 
.37 


£  s 
•2  S 


3.37 
lAl'J 
l.HO 
«.!)! 
3.22 
«,75 
4.17 
2.51 
I.Ofi 
4.88 
1.74 
2.31 
3.99 
3.10 
4.73 


tJ« 

'«       - 

t    V 

_  « 

• 

s  s 

^ 

kl    »* 

o 

^    3 

^ 

t.>~ 

a 

-  » 

•«  J3 

c 

R    -^ 

S<- 

C 

^   n 

—    a» 

2 

•-    3 

S 

^-« 

-ia 

3.37 

17 

l.(it) 

U 

l.HO 

"jSi 

«.!)! 

!»l 

3.22 

72 

C.TS 

iU 

4.17 

;■)() 

2.51 

m 

I.Ofi 

[)2 

4.88 

HO 

1.74 

TO 

2.31 

10 

3.99 

37 

3.10 

l)G 

4.73 

135 

From  this  table  it  appears  that  the  avcrapre  quantity  of 
earthy  mutter  foiuul  iu  tlii^sc  coal.s  by  tlic  atuilysls  of  tlu;  la- 
boratory was  5.7(J  per  cent.,  am!  that  the  average  adbnlcd  by 
the  rc'sitlucsof  tlie  furnace  was  4.<>v>  per  cent.,  or  one-lifth  less 
than  !)y  tlie  operations  of  the  laboratory.  A  small  (luantity 
of  <iust  no  doubt  escapes  at  the  top  of  the  chimney ;  but  it  is 
not  credible  that  so  large  a  part  as  this  should  be  lost  in.  that 
way,  especially  as  the  length  of  horizontal  flue  was  so  great. 
It  \vill  l)e  observed,  that  the  (jaantity  of  ash  given  by  analy- 
ses in  theThree-fiuarter  Uoclv  Vein.Bedwas,  Torthmawr,  and 
Coleshill,  was  more  than  twice  as  great  as  that  given  by  the 
furnace;  in  Park  End,  Lydney,it  was  three  limes;  in  Fordel 
8plint,  it  was  nearly  four  times;  in  Walsend  Elgin,  four-and- 
a-half  times;  in  Resolven,  live  times;  and  in  Slievardagh 
Anthrrjcite,  .six  times  as  great.  I3ut  it  will  not  fail  also  to  be 
noted,  that  in  one  or  two  cases  the  reverse  variation  took 
place,  1  lie  furnace  yielding  a  much  larger  residue  than  the 
crucible ;  and  that  of  the  whole  series  of  coals  thirteen  gave 
higher  residues  when  burned  on  the  large  scale  of  practice, 
and  seventeen  when  incinerated  over  a  lamp.  The  danger 
of  leaving  some  part  of  the  carbon  nnconsumed  in  this  Inttcr 
case,  and  the  necessity,  even  in  the  muUle,  of  peculiar  precau- 
tions  against  such  a  result, are  known  to  all  who  are  familiar 
with  the  analysis  of  coal.'^. 

h\  the  American  experiments  twenty-six  samples  gave 
higher  per  centage  of  earthy  matter  by  the  operations  of  the 
furnace  than  by  those  of  tiie  crucible,  and  only  nine  .samples 
gave  a  contrary  preponderance. 

Tlie  average  by  the  furnace  is  17.27  per  cent,  greater  than 
that  i'ound  in  the  laboratory.  The  AiiuM-ican  coals  apj)eart<> 
be  either  naturally  more  lughly  charged  with  earthy  matter, 
or  to  have  been  so  mined  as  to  contain  lp\'ger  proportions  of 
slaty  matter  than  the  IJrilish.  In  the  American  Report  will 
be  found  several  cases  in  which  the  coal  supplied  to  eommerce 
proved  much  more  impure  than  tliat  obtained  from  the  same 
mines,  when  sent  by  the  proprietor-s  expressly  fur  ihc  purpose 
of  being  tested. 

As  nearly  all  the  samples  of  British  coals  were  mined  ex- 
pressly for  the  purpose  of  the  "  Admiralty  coals  investigation," 
it  is  fair  to  presume  that  at  least  the  full  share  of  attention 
was  given  to  free  them  from  slate  and  other  impurities. 

The  following  table  exhibits  the  results  of  the  American 
experiments  on  the  quantity  of  earthy  nmttcr: 


'   126 


i  !  i 


1  i 


■ 


«• 


i 


Name  of  Coal. 


is 


U 


a;  8 


6  " 


c  , 

6  s 


B<»avrt  M*a^ow,s!ope3..,  I».8(;r>,  7,1152 

Beaver  !\I«,'fnIow,  slope  5..J  tJ.Kift;  5,149 

For('«t  Iii)prov*-ment 3. ().")()'  •I.'IM 

Pench  Mountain *  fi..'>.'>:i    fi,lt2r> 

Lackavvnuusi j  4.t'tCt!i    ♦>.4n 

LyluMi's  Valley '  5J>'M)   !^^»iVJ 

Natural  Cnke '  CeWU-b:}*! 

NVw  Vork  and  Maryland  I 

Minint;  Companies 18.()i34  12.40*' 

NelpK  Cumberland  coal..,;  ii.iilii  H>.34;i 
Easby's  "  i-oal  in  store"...;  .I.ti.-^H    e.<)H3| 


Name  of  Coal. 


e    . 


l8 

JJ 

e  o 


Ctiff'ft  Deep  Run jlO.OOO  10.475 

Crouch  &.  Snoad j  H.T:2(»  14.u'80 

Midlotliian.  1)00  fl.  shaft  KJ.fSCO  10.467 

Creek  Company's i  ;'».;«:>!>    H..'»?a 

Clov«T  Hill j  .'..:«:JJ  10.1.1-2 

Clu'sterfield  liliniiiy  Co..    A.-l'.'."*    H. <).'<•! 

IMidlotl'.ii'iT.overagf 4.. 'iST  14.737 

Tippncnnw •  H.Mia    ♦l.,174 

.Midlothian,  new  shaft,..    7. 514   I».440 

Midlothian  siTt?enetl j  ^;.li^."^    i>.(ia5 

rictou,  (N.  y.  samj)lc.V  2..-»l,',  l-t.-lHS 

Atkinson  ifc  TemplenianV  .'5.4  !(>    7.,1*J4'I  Sidiipy,  C    B 'l'}.)HO    fi.d'K'i 

Easby  (fc  Smith's t  S.^i,');)    S.aoll  Pirtoii,  (Cmiard'a  »>W.)  10.747  \-J.:>m 

Dauphin  &L  Susquehanna.ni.OK'U.dtMi  Liverpool 1  'JI.U.'IO   4.<i:J2 

Biossbur^ '  y..*12:5  l(>.7:.'i[  Newcastle '  l.>.^■(l<l 

Lycoming  Creeh ;10.:i;i(l  l.'l.fHil"  Scotch 'in..'i!>7 

Karthaus '  ft.HH.'*   7.00(1  i  Fittshurp !  .'1.71.'". 

Cambria  Coamy .12.200,  3.150;;  CanneU»«n {  ii.Kll 


."♦..IMS 
(♦..1^8 
7.074 
4.974 


Ayprage..........,„„.....„ T^Tfiri  9.HJ4 

Thf  general  avera<>e  pei*  oentafjeof  earlhy  matter  in  tltirty- 
five  American  .and  thirty  British  samples  *as  dediictul  rrom 
operations  in  the  two  mod".s-,  may  bo  .Mated  hs  f'oIUm-.s: 
35  American  in  laboratory,  7.7<»,  in  steam  h(»ilcr  furnace  0.10 
30  British  "  5.*(J,    **  **  4.03 


Differences  2.00  4.38 

This  establislies  the  fact  that  the  Bntish  sample.s  v  ere 
frceer  from  earthy  matter  than  thtt  American.  In  both  ihe 
Briti.sh  and  American  rep<)rts  .vcveral  analyses  of  ashes  are 
given,  and  will  be  fouutl  at  p.  CJtiof  the  ibrnier,  and  oUUuf  the 
latter  document. 

USE  OF  WOOD  IN  lir..\TINC  UP  THE  nOtI.EB  AND  Pl'RNAC'K. 

In  the  American  experiments,  wood  was  ^^mployinl  to  kin- 
dle the  fire  and  to  raise  the  temperature.  «f  the  brick  work  of 
the  .setting  of  the  boiler  nnd  its  contents  to  that  temperature 
at  which  the  operations  were  to  he  carried  on.  After  at- 
taining this  temperatm-e  the  wood  was  withdrawn  and  its 
place  supplied  with  coal,  .so  much  clinrcoal  only  being  let)  on 
the  grate  as  was  barely  suincicnt  to  ignite  tht  mineral  coal. 


I    fi 


if 


l8 

ii 


..•};>9 


127 

In  thft  British  <»xperim«nt^  wood  wns  employed  <>»\1y  to 
kin«Uo  the  (ire,  :uul  then  it  l»cciim«  nc<'«'ss:iry  to  (Ii\  idr  the 
coal  burned  into  two  portions,  oim  of  whicli  was  considered 
as  employed  solely  in  raising;  temperature,  and  tlic  other  in 
both  trvaporutiu^'  and  raising  temper  at  are.  This  mode  of 
rxperimenlins;  complieates,  to  'UHue  degree,  tlie  ealcidntioTi 
of  evaporative  ellieiency,  a»  aheady  noted.  One  ehinent  in 
every  d:ty*s  eahnihslioa  will  !)e  t!je*he;itin<;  up  of  the  lurnaec, 
and 'the 'material  of  the  boiler;  at»d  sin<'c  the  weight  of 
iron  in  a  !>t)iter  is  very  eonsideralde,  and  as  every  nine 
pounds  of  iron  reipiire  as  much  heat  to  raise  their  tem- 
perature as  one  pound  oi'  waler,  the  total  ealeulatcd  effi- 
ciency of  the  fuel  eiiimot  fail  to  hv  in  some  degree  atlecledhy 
the  omission  lo  tal.e  aceount  of  tlie  weight  and  sijeeillo  heat 
of  the  h()ih>r,  esj)ecially  when  mueh  dilference  of  tenjperature 
existed  between  its  initial  and  its  linal  temperature. 

We  may  in  this  connexion  again  refer  to  tltc  per  ccntagcs 
of  moisture  in  many  of  the  santples  of  British  eoal,  as  deter- 
mined by  analysis,  hi  the  American  experiments,  this  ele- 
ment wa*s  ascertained,  not  only  by  analysis,  but  also  by  lieat- 
iiig  Jo  iil-^i^  for  several  days,  in  a 'drying  api)aratus  heated  by 
steam,  twenty-eight  or  thirty  pounds  of  the  coal  as  it  was 
found  on  the  days  of  trial  in  the  furnace.  The  loss  of 
weight  by  this  treatment  was  the  element  principary  relied 
upon  in  the  calculations  of  the  eliicicney  of  the  t'utihu  tiblc 
VuilUr, 

Including  the  two  Dalkeith  coals,  which  yielded  as  above 
stated,  {>..*}()  and  5.S8  per  cent,  of  moisture,  wc  have  the  fol- 
lowing pretty  high  per  ccntagcs  of  moisture  to  ollset  agJiinst 
the  small  number  on  page  10,  (British  Report,)  given  by  the 
eommissioners,  and  ot»  which  they  base  the  remark  that  the 
hygroscopic  moisture  in  coal  is  very  small. 


Ol4t  Castif  Fiory  Vein 7  40 

W.jrd's  I'itry  Vein .'«  08 

Llangt'iiiitciv..... ....o -t'ti 

IttfSolvfn  , l..);» 

Portlim!\wr  Uock  Vein l."0 

C«.l<'fliill •»»« 

Dalkeith  Jewel t) «'! 


Dallieith  Coronation.... .....^ .'»  S9 

\Vall?eiul  Kl^rin *J.l» 

Fordel  Splint H.40 

Graiigetnouth fi-12 

Krooiiihill  »  •''! 

Lyiiney 2  "^ 

SlieverUacli  Anthracite 4.'J3 


In  the  above  coals,  it  would  be  exceedingly  intcn  sting  to 
have  a  computation  of  the  cflect  of  the  combustible  matter 
when  freed  from  moisture.  Thei-e  is  water  thrown  upon  the 
grate  more  than  suflieient  to  mask  the  cflect  of  the  small  quant  i- 
ty  of  wood  used  in  kindling,  and  also  some  of  the  diflerences 
between  the  iuiliul  and  tinal  temperature  of  water  in  the 
boiler. 


198 


'tl 


erSt'lAL  COMPARMOX  or   RT:SI'I.T«  op  AMRRtC.tV  ASn  BRITIfll  EXPE- 
RIMENT* OX  COAL5»  OP  8»MIJ,Att  CONSTITLTJUX. 

The  0>I!owinjj  fahlo  gives  a  syno])ticul  viirw  of  ihc  compo- 
tiition.cvnporatinp:  power,  behavior  in  the  iurnacc,  ."iiid  rciluc- 
tivc  cdicit'Ucy  of  twelve  samjiicK  of  coal,  arranged  in  aix  pairs, 

TahJe  of  results  of  American  and  Itritijth 


r       . 

%• 

^ 

3 

t 

S 

It 

• 

' 

-§ 

o 

C9 

t* 

a 

• 

e 
8 

• 

a 

U 

0 

^1 

a 

e; 

b 

(9 

o 

.M     tl 

«• 

o 
U 
**« 

e 

Name  of  Coal. 

2 

■it 

'S 
in  u 

•2-  = 

c  s 

3    I. 

■s  s. 

3 
2 

u 

S.2.' 

.         4; 

i,   i 

tl 

C 

V 

6 

U 

•* 
«.* 

e 

i 

0 

11 

w 

rt   o 

n  '■^ 

s  b  '   *•  •- 

=  c^ 

k. 

aj  . 

b 

u 

Xi 

u= 

^    V 

1   «, 

IJ  _ 

3 

rs   ftj 

a 

B 
s 

'A 

'Si 

'0 
3.01 

> 

2" 
"5 
73 

I 

4  Scotch ,.,, 

{  Dalkeith  Jewfl.... 

m 

94.95 

51.0!) 

.5;)8  43.8 1 

H5.(i5 

38.84 

0.3(1 

48.81 

l.:i77 

tOAii  vj.m 

.W5  4t9.'- 

-.9.98 

9.3(. 

40.84  0.3?.15.43 

0 

i  Newcastle,  Eii";... 

I  sr.T 

78.54  50.79 

.047  44.08 

51.  M 

2.01 

35f.l)  0.23  5f;.n9 

(  Brotmihill,      " 

i.25 

77.y9  53.5U 

.(J73  4:J.(i7 

1 

Jd.55 

9.31 

31.49  U.85^5G.13 

I  Midlothian     new 

•]      shnft 

(  Cwm  FrooJ  Uocii 

i 

3 

I  na:* 

fsi2  8l'.J7.9()   .'■>S14r.7(l 

7:}.8r^ 

o.r,7 

3.1  49  2.L>8'5(;.40 

i.ijj.'. 

7d  i9  55.:2S  ."iW  4U.5-,' 

t 

U.W 

l.l;! 

3U.0t  I.i2:Jj(i;JfcO 

C  Atkinson  &  Tcni- 
■       ptemnn,   Md.,,. 
(  tbbw  Vale 

I 

1                  '• 

in  in 

fi'i.QO  52  0-,>  .GI4  5:inn 

55  1-J 

0.45 

15  53 '7fi.«19 

4 

I.:-'::) 

7a.6i  53.30 

.ii7<i  JrJ.aii 

15.9^ 

i:.\\ 

•JI.J(i 

1.0J>j7ii.Ott 

r, 

<  Lyken's  Valley.  Ta 

1  ns.-) 

8fi  82  48.r.() 

.5.'')9  4fi.l.1 

78.79 

o.n 

<T.79 

0.91  Wei 

«J 

I  Llangenueck  

1.375 

65.78  58.25 

1 

.(J793d.45 

47.9(1 

:>.H7 

4.iJ3|0.79  9l3a 

I  Denver    Meadow, 

^      slope  .'»,ra 

(  Slievarilagli,  Irish. 

, 

(i 

1  f).*! 

9(1.9.1  5(7.19  .:>:!»  no  P»'73.f>  1 

(t.P!) 

rj.fiit  n.f)n9or».'> 

LiDO 

99.57 

tiS.t^O 

.G3035.(j(: 
1         1 

58.551 

4.93 

5.47 

ii.;(i 

7y.30 

I    ; 


n 


ERR.^TA. 


The  writer  mentions  the  followitjfj  errors  in  the  British  Re- 
port, not  ?)y  any  means  in  a  captiou.s  .spirit,  or  with  any  virw 
to  cast  discredit  on  thi.s  highly  valuable  document,  but  mere- 
ly io  enable  those  into  whose  hands  the  ori<i:inaI  may  cojue, 
CO  read  it,  after  applying  the  corrections}.    He  docs  not  permit 


129 


ii 


the  first.  S!\mplc  in  Pficli  pair  being  tnltcn  from  tlie  Amorlcfin, 
and  tlie  sci;on(l  from  tli»;  Hrilish  sericfi.  As  thn  Scotch  and 
Nt;wcastlo  samples  of  the  American  scries  were  piirt^hascd 
in  New  Yorli^ nothing'  isof  course  certainly  knownof  the  par- 
ticular rnino  or  scam  from  which  thoy  were  severally  taken. 


I 


trhh  of  Cmh  of  compnraf>fr.  (jnalities. 


I 


<3 


49,8(t 


conn 
59. ^u 


9.10!) 
92.90 1 


a 
w 

a. 


■9 

e 


bi) 


o 


«  o 
J3  a. 


2  &ij 

3 
0* 


!>.31  l.'J57  10.  n 
4.37  1. 112  10.30 


5.10  l.fiO 
3.07  1.78 


(J.OO 


•J.os* 


(V 

5 

o 


o 


a 


J 


J3 

3 


s 


■a  ■ 

a 

3 
O 


»3 

5 


•0 


;: 


s 

ca 


8.03 

y.u 


(.(pO 


«  9  i  3r)3.8     7  72 
7.08  352.58  7.42 


8.f.i;i43!t.r)!»  9.13 
8.75  459.37  8.9G 


1> 

c 

o. 
v 

M 
cs 

c 

u 


ll 

a 
o 


a 


o 
u 
to 
ca 

C 
a 
w 


10.19 

4.(55' 


o 

o 


(9 


5.03 
2.05 


U4 

o 
u 


0 

c 


c 


«   I 


•3 
C 

c2 


s 

o 
u 


V 

a 

o 

.a 

it 

U 

3 

U      • 

-3  3 
?  ■■5 


a, 

-^  a 

a  o 

a  ■:i 

>  -3 
V    (9 

a   60 


I 


8.75  418.01 

8.70;  4^0  9(1 


9.75 
9.07 


7.13  4.94  ;    7.33  10.70 
1.50  3. 5'J  ■    3.07  10.21 


n.25'  12.34 
1.52!  2i. 00 


'  35. 3  f 


C.J)2 

8.05, 


9.40 
y.4(! 


50     .  n.( 

544.19;  10.53 


459.50 
505.02 


10.79 

9.83 


R.OT    9.B8  550.11  m.W 


50.0(;   10.801  14.08     y.22    9.851018.58  U. 09 
I  i  I  1  )  I 


5.08;  3.M 
2.40,  0.33 


10  20  4.21 
4.11,  1.7^ 


7.9.';'  2  12 
3.00:0.40 


12.24  4.40 
a.77  0.00 


558 
,571 


.553 
,137 


.421 
,433 


.2i; 
.133 


375 

.000 


5.0 


10.09 

8.05 


17.08 
18.33 


r).12 

y  20 


18.00 
lU.OO 


27.03  895.4.1 
20.42  355.18 


25.32  327.53 


20.79  844.38 
28.30!  .327.00 


30  00  981.24 
3 1.98!  .393.33 


3t. 1.5  805.81 
33.48, 359.00 


6.74  0..W  .092  01  25  31.8.5' 091.40 
2.00' 0.90  ..322  59.00130.101473.18 
I       i       I         1         I 


himself  to  doubt  that  his  own  report  may,  with  all  the  care 
which  was  bestowed  upon  it,  be  found  to  contain  some  errors : 

Of  Ward's  fiery  vein,  it  Is  said  (p.  5!),  British  Ileport,)  that 
"5.*.2  p:ramtnesh)st  of  moisture,  O.K).'}^  1.38  per  cent."  Now  if 
M'e  are  not  greatly  in  error  in  our  calculations 

^^f  ^*  =0. 1  m^  1 3.8  per  cent. 


I' 


■Itt 


I 


130 

Also,  of  Old  Ciistlr   fiery  vein,  it  is  snid   (pnjjo  T)"^)   that 
2.  i:n  t  lost  at  2Vi'  0.18  ;  i\\u\  at  piigc  10,  this  coal  is  put  down 

as  liavinj?  lost  0.71  per  cent.     Now  ^^         =0.074, or  7.1  p.  ct. 

At  pnge  10,  Ihc  formula 
(W  —  Ev  +  w  —  ir')  I  +  Wf  +  ;/;/'  +  (/«'  --  w)  t"  ' 


VI 


K',  sljouUi 


read  ^^^-"~" -^ '''  t "'  —  "')'  +  ^^' '  +  "^^'  +  ('"' ~J'') '" '_  F* 

One  pound  of  I^roomliill  eoal  is,  in  l.-ddes  on  jjngos  II  and  15, 
rejjresenled  to  have  evaporated  1M  lbs.  of  Mater  from  'Jlii", 
and  the  snme  nundjcr  is  foinid  in  llie  snuuiiary,  p:ipe  '.V.) — 
-while  on  page  .'{^  in  flic  delniled  stalemenl  of  tlu;  resulls  of 
trials  of  that  eoal,  the  weights  of  water  evnporaled  [X'r  pound 
of  eoal  from  'Jit)^,  on  the  rcspeetivc  days,  are  8.,')'),  O.O-J  and 
8.7,  making  the  true  averages  8.7.").  In  table,  page  II,  the 
cfTect  ol'  ihc  error  just  noicd,  is  extended  lo  the  lOlh  and 
11th  columns,  where  the  evaporation,  after  allowing  for  the 
nneonsumed  fuel  in  the  residue,  is  made  7.()(;  instead  of  0.18. 

This  error  was  (list  detected  by  observing  a  want  of  con- 
formity bt'tween  the  composition  of  the  coiil  and  its  evaj)ora- 
tive  power. 

Old  Castle  Fiery  Vein  is,  in  the  tahles,  n^presenlcd  as  hav- 
ing produced  of  steam  to  one  of  coal,  from  2112",  M.jil  ;  where- 
as  in  the  table,  page  127,  of  daily  experiments,  we  have  8.05, 
8.0-2,  and  0.72,  of  which  the  mean  is  0.00. 

In  the  table,  page  20,  the  average  irci<^Iit  of  .soot  per  day  in 
the  flues,  after  burning  about  'U)0  lbs.  of  coal  jicr  day,  is  put 
down  at  7.')  lbs.  This  is  presumed  to  be  an  error  of  the  press 
for  0.75  lbs. 

In  the  detail  of  the  trial  of  Ebbw  Yale  coal,  (l^rilish  Re- 
port, p.  Ui.)  the  weight  of  soot  ])ut  down  in  the  table,  is  7  lbs. 
for  ench  days  burning.  This  is  doubtless  another  error  i'rom 
omission  of  the  decimal  point.  It  should  stand  0.7  lb.,  instead 
of  7  lbs. 

In  computing  the  column  I  (per  cent  age  of  residue  of  the 
coals)  in  the  summary,  on  ])agc  IM),  of  their  rcj)ort,  the  com- 
missioners have  divided  the  sum  of  the  ashes,  cinder,  and 
soot,  i/tinus  the  weight  of  clinker,  by  the  weight  of  coal  burned. 
In  the  other  summary,  at  pnge  18,  which  is,  in  fact,  a  ])art  of 
the  same  tai)le,  they  have  taken  the  same  sum,  (but  sometimes 
omitting  the  soot,)  pins  the  w^eight  of  the  clinker  lor  a  divi- 
dend. The  first  of  these  methods  of  calculation  a])pears  to 
be  in  accordance  with  the  foot  note,  at  page  52.     But  the  sc- 


131 

coml  will  }?lvfi  trtio  rosiills,  if  wo  suppose  (Imf  under  flir  hoad 
ofciiulcr  iiillK!  second  piirt  (pa^e  IN)  llicy  li:ivc  incliidf<l  oidy 
tliiit  i)art  ol'  fho  <'ind{M-  which  is  left  after  dediietini?  the  elinUer, 
viz.  the  roJic.  We  are  not  expressly  informed  which  of  these 
modes  of  calculation  oii;,'ht  to  he  applied.  This  and  somo 
oilier  discrepances  appear  to  have  arisen  from  the  change  of 
assistants  durini;  the  in\  est i^alioJi. 

In  compntini?  the  per  cenfai;e  of  rosldue  in  the  coal  of 
Lydnev.  lN)nfyi);)ol.  and  rorlhiniwr,  the  wtM-hl  of  soot  is 
omitted  from  the  ealcidation,  whih^  it  is  incliid(«(l  jienerally 
in  caleiilalinj,'  the  waste  matter  of  the  other  coals,  and  a  con- 
jectural (plant it V  of  soot  appears  to  have  heen  added,  in  the 
case  of  r.ell's  patent  fuel,  and  Warlich'.^  prvtent,  fuel,  \yhcre 
the  detailed  tahles  of  ()[)ei'ations  do  not  ;L;ive  any.  Trivial  as 
these  differences  in  calculation  miudit  at  first  seem,  they  as- 
sume a  considerahle  importance  in  vie'v  of  the  use  which 
must  ])e  inade  of  them,  \\\w\\  we  wish  to  calculate  the  hoat- 
\\\%  power  of  the  combust  ihle  matter  in  the  coals,  divested  of 
their  respective  useless  or  prejudicial  constituents. 

At  pag-e  n,  under  August  "id,  1st  day,  opposite  to  M'eight 
of  coals  consumed,  we  have  \'\  lbs. — an  obvious  error,  but 
what  the  true  nundjcr  of  pounds  is,  we  have  no  means  of  de- 
termining— we  suppose  it  to  be  VM). 

In  the  table,  on  page  18,  British  report,  column  IT,  oppo- 
site Ebbw  N'ahs  has  7.10,  which  ought  to  be  lO.C) I ;  and  the 
same  column  opposite  to  Dalkeith  Coronation  Seam,  has  78.G; 
an  evident  misprint  for  7,H('). 

At  page  17,  against  W(!ight  of  clinker  in  cinder,  we  have 
8  lbs.,  instead  of  .8  lbs.,  wliich  latter  is  proved  to  be  the  true 
number  ])y  the  per  contagcs  in  column  I,  page  48,  against 
Dalkeith  .Tewcl  and  Coronation  Seams. 


I 

9. 


SYNOPTICAL  TAIILU  OF  AMERICAN  COALS. 

We  will  terminate  this  comparison  between  American  and 
British  experiments,  by  placing  before  the  reader  the  general 
synoptical  table  of  the  American  results  preceded  by  the 
classification  of  the  coals  according  to  those  general  charac- 
ters which  are  found  to  distinguish  them. 


I 


132 


CLASS  I. 


ANTHRACITES NATURAL    COKE ARTIFICIAL    COKE MIXTURES. 


?'i 


SAMPLES. 

No.  1.  Beaver  Aleadow,  slope  No.  3. 

2.  Beaver  Meadow,  slope  No,  5. 

3.  Forest  improvement. 

4.  Peach  Mountain. 

5.  Lehigh, 

6.  Lackawanna. 

7.  Lyken's  valley. 

8.  Beaver  Meadow,  (navy  yard.) 

9.  Natural  coke,  (Virginia.) 

10.  Coke  of  Midlothian  (Virginia)  coal. 

11.  Coke  of  Neff''s  Camberland  coal. 

12.  Mixture  i  Midlothian  and  }  Beaver  Meadow. 

13.  Mixture  }  Cumberland  and  }  Beaver  Meadow. 

General  duiracters. 

The  anthracites  have  specific  gravities  varying  from  1.30 
to  1.61  ;  retain  their  form  when  exposed  to  a  heat  of  ignition, 
and  undergo  no  i)ropcr  intumescence  while  parting  with  the 
small  portion  of  volatile  matter  which  they  contain ;  or,  if 
changed  at  all,  are  only  disintegrated  into  angular  fragments. 
Their  flame  is  generally  short,  of  a  blue  color,  and  conse- 
quently of  little  illuminating  power.  They  are  ignited  with 
difficulty ;  give  an  intense  concentrated  heat ;  but  generally 
become  extinct  while  yet  a  considerable  quantity  remains 
unburnt  on  the  grate. 


CLASS  n. 

FREE-BURNING  BITUMINOUS  COALS  OF  MARVLAND  AND  PENNSYLVANIA. 

SAMPLES. 

Maryland  Coals. 

No.  1.  New  York  and  Maryland  Mining  Company. 

2.  Nell's. 

3.  Easby's  "  coal  in  store." 

4.  Atkinson  and  Templeman's. 

5.  Easby  and  Smith's. 

2.  Cumberland,  (navy  yard.) 


rURES. 


T. 


3m  1.30 
ignition, 
A'itli  llie 
11 ;  or,  if 
igments. 
I  consc- 
fetl  with 
enerally 
remains 


VLVANIA. 


133 

Peimstjlvanift.  Coals. 

7.  Dauphin  and  Susciuehanna. 

8.  Blossburg. 

!).  Lycoming  creek. 

10.  Quin's  Run. 

11.  KarthauH. 

12.  Cambria  county. 

General  characters. 

In  specific  gravity,  coals  of  the  free-burning  class  fall  a 
liitle  below  the  anthracites,  ranging  from  l.t>8  to  l.U.  Iheir 
mean  weight  per  cubic  foot  is,  however,  only  two-thirds  ot  a 
pound  less  than  that  of  the  first  class.  As  they  contain  but 
a  small  portion  of  matter  to  be  vaporized,  they  soon  come  to 
the  temperature  of  full  ignition.  The  considerable  increase 
of  volume  which  they  take  in  coking,  favors  the  subsequent 
rapid  and  effective  combustion  of  their  fixed  carbon.  In  some 
cases,  especially  when  brought  very  gradually  to  ignition, 
their  masses  of  coke  scarcely  cohere,  and  the  original  torms 
of  their  lumps  are  in  a  measure  preserved. 


CLASS  III. 

BITCMINOUS  CAK-rNfi    COALS  FROM    THE  EASTERN    COAL  FIELD  OF    VIR- 
GINIA IN  TUB  NEKJHBORIIOOD  OP  RICHMOND. 

SAMPLES. 

No.  1.  Barr's  Deep  Run. 

2.  Crouch  &  Snead's. 

3.  Midlothian  5)00  feet  shaft,  (average.) 

4.  Creek  Company's. 
:,.  Clover  Hill. 

().  Chesterfield  Mining  Company's. 

7.  Midlothian  average. 

8.  Tippecanoe. 

9.  Midlothian  "  new  shaft." 

10.  Midlothian  screened. 

11.  Midlothian,  (navy  yard,  Washington.) 

General  Characters. 

The  ran'-'e  of  specific  gravities  in  this  class  is  nearly  the 
same  as  in^that  of  the  free-burning  coals ;  but  the  averaire  is 
rather  less.     The  average  weight  per  cubic  foot  is  also  less 


r 


i}\ 


m 


* 


11 


■  ':'        '  4i 


"f 


lii 


134 

by  about  3.5  ponnds,  These  coals  burn  witb  a  long  flnmc and 
much  smoke— si viuf?  ^ri  intumesoent,  coherent  coke,  preserv- 
ing nothing  of  the  oiiginul  form  of  (he  coal. 


CLA.SS  iV, 

FOREKJN    BrTlMrNnfJl   COALS,  ASH   TltOiJE  OF  SIMILAR    CONSTITUTION 
WEST  OF  THE  AM*K<:HA?iY  MDl'XTAiNP. 

SAMPLES. 

Foreign  Cuith. 
No.  1,  Pictoii,  (purchased  in  New  York.) 

2,  Sidney. 

3,  Picfou,  (Canard's.) 

4,  Liverpool. 

,5.  Newcastle.        ' 

6.  Scotch. 

Couh  from  west  of  the  Alh^hany  Mountains. 

7.  Pinsl)urg. 

8.  Canaehon,  (la.) 

General  charactns. 

In  mnnv  respects,  this  class  of  coals  bears  a. strong  analogy 
to  the  pi-t^'ccding.  The  ratio  of  the  tixed  to  the  volatile  com- 
bustible matter,  is,  however,  something  less.  The  exterior 
presents  often  a  resinous  lustre.  The  surfaces  of  deposition 
are  easilv  developed  by  fracture.  Great  facility  of  ignition, 
and  a  high  degree  of  activity  in  the  combustion  of  their  vola- 
tile consM^iluents,  are  also  general  peoperties  of  this  class. 
Their  high  proportion  of  volatile  combustible  matter  renders 
these  coals,  when  nearly  free  from  sulphur,  eminently  suita- 
ble ibr  the  production  of  illuminating  gas;  and  the  tendency 
of  their  cokes,  with  few  exceptions,  to  intumesence  strongly, 
renders  them,  in  common  wiih  the  precedinjr  class,  highly 
serviceable  in  forming  large  hollow^  tires  for  smithing  purposes. 

[See  Tahle  opposite.] 

The  following  remarks  from  p.  598,  Report  on  American 
coals,  are  still  applicable  to  the  subject  : 

As  every  sample  of  coal  has  been  allowed  a  fair  oppor- 
tunity to  exhibit  its  own  distinctive  charactes\  it  M'ouid  be 
useless  to  attempt  to  subslilute  for  the  results  of  practical 
experimenis,  on  such  a  scale  as  is  here  presented,  any  mere 


Oenei 


Designation  of  coat. 


....Pa. 
....Pa. 
....Pa. 


> 
a 


u 

'Z 

c 
'J. 


Beaver  Meadow,  slope  No.  3. 
Beaver  Meadow,  elope  No-  5. 
Forest  Improvement............ 

peach  Mountain Pa. 

Lehigh Pa 

Lackawanna..,.. .-  ......•« ^a. 

Lyken's  Valley , Pa- 
Beaver  Meadow,  (navy  yard).,. Pa. 

Natural  coke  of  Virginia...,.,,.. Va. 

Coke  of  Midlothian  coal Va. 

Coke  of  Neff's  (Cumberland)  coal...Va. 
Miiture,  one-fifth  Midlothian  and  four- 

fifths  Beaver  Meadow...  ., 

Mixture,  one-fifth  Cumberland  and  four- 
fifths  Beaver  Meadow 

New  York  and  Maryland  Mining  Com- 

pnny's > ..Md. 

Neff's  Cumberland ^'i^- 

Ea9by's"Coal  in-Store" Md. 

Atkinson  &  Templeman'a .....Md. 

Easbyfc  Smith'" Md. 

Cumberland,  (navy  yard) Md. 

Dauphin  and  Susc]uehanna...... Pa. 

Blossburg P"- 

Lycoming  Creek........... ......Pa. 

Quin's  Run ••.•• Pa- 

Karthaus •.- Pa- 
Cambria  County......... Pa. 

Barr-s  Deep  Run Va. 

Crouch  &  Snead'3.... Va. 

Midlothian,  (900  feet  shaft.) \a. 

Creek  Company's  coal ,„,... Va. 

Clover  Hill V»- 

Chesterfield  Mining  Company  8 va. 

Midlothian,  (average)...... Va 

Tippecanoe  < Va. 

Midlothian, ("new  shaft") Va. 

Midlothian,  (screened) Va. 

Midlothian,  (navy  yard) ..Va. 

Pictou,  (from  New  York) .,  .N.  b. 

Sidney ^.  S. 

Pictou,  (Cunard's) N.  b. 

Liverpool ^ng. 

Newcastle...,. • •••> ^"S- 

Scotch " Scotland. 

Pittsburg ""t  j" 

Cannelton ...Ind, 

Dry  pine  wood.-. 


I. 


«««*•«#•*«««•*•*  •• 


General  synoptical  table  of  th^  character  and  efficiency  of  the  American  Coals. 


Bignation  of  coal. 


idow,  slope  No.  3 Va. 

itlow,  elope  No.  5 Pa- 

rovement..,.,... •  *• 

lUuin •••••••• "''• 

Pa 

,a P«. 

Hey .....Pa. 

idow,  (navy  yard). ...... ..Pa- 
te of  Virginia...,.,..! Va. 

idlotliinn  coal Va. 

fff's  (Cumberland)  coal...Va. 
me-fifth  Midlothian  and  (our- 

3ver  Meadow 

ne-fifth  Cumberland  and  four- 
aver  Meadow 

,  and  Maryland  Mining  Com- 

, ,,.,,,. .......■♦•.-i'l" 

nberland Md 

Doalin-Store" Md. 

&  Tenipleman'8 .....Md. 

linith'" Md. 

id,  (navy  yard) ......,.Md. 

ind  Susquehanna...... Pa. 

Pa 

Creek. ...•..••" ........Pa. 

Pa 
in.  .......<••• ...,..»...». .1  "• 

Pa 

County Pa, 

ep  Run  .........<•.  ..»«•...••• 'a. 

,  Snead'3 .......Va 

n,  (nOO  feet  shaft.) Va 

mpany'scoal ..,...Va 

ill v» 

•Id  Mining  Company's. .....V^a. 

m,  (average)......  „....,... .V a 

oe  •■ ..-Va 

in, ("new  shaft")... Va, 

in,  (screened) Va 

m,  (navy  yard) ....Va, 

VomNew  York) -N.  S, 

N.S 

:unard's) N.S, 

I... ...... ...»•»**•.«'•*••• ^"^' 

le...........  «•••»••••"••"■  ■.•t'"6' 

Scotland, 

f....... .....••••••.• •♦...**•■•**• 

in.............»...»«««.«»»*""'"*'^ 

wood. .......,...••..  ••.••••«•' 


54.9.'} 
56.11) 
53. 6f) 
53.79 
55.. 32 
48.(^9 
48. 5( 
55.08 
4G.G4 
3  2.70 
31.. 57 


0.54G 
0.580 
0.581 
O.-Wp 
0..557 
0.550 
0.559 

6.564 


40.78 

39.86 

41.75 

41.64 

40.50 

45.82 

40.13 

40.65 

48.03 

68.. "iO. 

70.95 


^  Cj 


.a  6 


2.38;  88.94 

2.66,  91.47 

3.07  90.75 

2.96  89.02 

5.28  89.15 

3.91  87.74 

6.881  83.84 

■i2.'44!"75.*06 


Ji       !    a 


:2  2     - 

3    S 


54.29.........    41.26 


89.44 

83.28 

81.69 

82.09 

83.26 

88.40 

90.19 

82.73 

86.74 

83.92 

30.22 

87.84 

86.41 

90.71 

87.. ''.0 

82.48 

80.36 

80.57 

80.90 

84.14 

82.82 

80.21 

86.86 

82.35 

83.66 

82.83 

78.89 

78.54 

94.95 

78.37 

79.54 


54. ."il 

53.70 

54.29 

.'i3.47 

52.92 

51.16 

53.29 

.'J0..54 

53.05 

55.38 

50.34 

.')2..')4 

53.46 

.53.17 

53.59 

50.52 

46.50 

45.49 

45.. 55 

54.04 

45.10 

47.90 

45.72 

54.47 

53.. 55 

47.44 

49.25 

47. 8S 

50.82 

51.09 

46.81 

47.65 

21.01 


41.09 


0.600 

0.6.52 

0.655 

0.645 

0.614 

0.603 

0.560 

0.641 

0.63b 

0.605! 

0.655' 

0.608! 

0.615| 

0.5911 

0.577 

0.564' 

0..566| 

0.565 

0.568 

0.536 

0..581 

0.570 

0.627 

0.6.50 

0.567 

0.595 

0.607 

0.647 

0..5.38 

0.598 

0.599 


41.71 
41.26 
41.90; 
42.33i 

43.78 

42.04! 

44.321 

42.22 

40.45 

44.50 

42.631 

41.901 

42.13| 

41.80; 

44.34 

48.17! 

I  49.25, 
49.18, 
41 .45 
49.67 

I  46.76' 
48.991 
41.13 
41.83 
47.22 
45.48, 
46.78^ 
44.08, 
43.84 
47.85 

47.01: 

106.62 


1 

12.31; 

]2.67| 

14.98| 

15.53 

15.52 

14.87 

13.82 

14.78 

13.84 

17.97 

19.53 

20  52 

19.78 

24.38 

27.28 

32.471 

32.21| 

32.63! 

29.86 

34.-54 

35.77 

34.70 

29.12 

27.8.'t 

23.81 

25.97| 

39.96, 

35.83: 

39.19 

36,76 

33.99 


73.50 
74.53 
76.26 
76.69 
74.29 
70.85 


7.11 

5.15 

4.41 

0.13 

5.. 56 

6.. 35 

9.25 

8.10 

11.83 

16.55 

13.34 

8.88 

8.18 

12.40 
10.34 
8.08 
7.33 
9.30 
14.98 
74. 24;  11. 49 
73.11:10.77 
71. 53' 13. 96 
72.79;  8.41 
:;}.77!  7.00 
69.37   9.15 
67.9610.47 
59.98  14.28 
61.0810.47 
60.30   8.57 
56.83  10.13 
58.79;  8.63 
53.01  14.74 
54.62   9.37 
56.40;  9.44 
.54.06   9.66 
56.11  14.14 
56.98  13.. TJ 
67.57   5.49 
60.7412.51 
54.90   4.62 
57.00   5.40 
I  48.81   9.34 
.54.93   7.07 
58.44  4.97 
'  0.307 


37  3l| 
25,36 
29.75 
30.09 
16.87 
23.13 
12.34 

""6!2: 


3944.5 
4250.5 
3810.0 
7371.9 
38.38.2 
4112.5 
2471.0 
1897.3 
4209.0 
1037.0 
994.2 

2050.0 

2074.0 

2127. 

4318.4 

1158.0 

2318.2 

4474.5 


Sf?* 


6,69 

6.27 

6.52 

6,69; 

6  95 

6.45 

6,92 

4  631 

8.1'"^ 

9  t)l 

8.43 


3.87 

2.421 

3.32 

3  54' 

3.27 

2.67| 

2.63| 

5.08i 

1.74 

2.00 

1.17 


6.28 
7.86 
6.04 
7.33 
8.02 


12.57 
10.66 
12.89 
14.04 
11.63 
11.92 
12.891 
9.42 
12.56 
16.50 
14.91 


Op 


9.21 

8.76|  9.80 
8.92;  10  06 
8,9610.11 
7.73i  8.93 


1.33 

1.68 
1.75 
0.99 
1.52 


1.57 
1.95 
2.11 
2,84 
2.59 
1.51 
1.60 
1.26 
2.01 
1.72 


25.57.0 
4295.0 
3073.2 
1883.2 
3643.8 
3488.5 
5072.7 
3834.7 
3417.5 
3769  6 
3775.1 
38';  6.0 
450G.4 
4904  7 
2918.5 
41.32.0 
1463  5 
4153,9 
1601.1 
1962.5 
3786.0 
4023.0 
3860.0 
208.4 
2465.5 
2360.5 


12.79 
14.80 
12.73 
15.70 
14.97 

15.67 

12.13 

13,90 

12,48 

12.4 

13. '2 

11.65 

14,51 

14.88 

8.35] 
14,47 
10.08 
10. C2 
13.46 

10.11 


8,65 
8.19 
8.88 
9,47 


5.83   3.21    10.06   7.69   8.86  481.1    8.88     4.91       9  5 
7.97   2-25    12.81    7.97   9.18  498  5   8.18     3.09     16.0 


.505.5 

556.1 

440  8 

545.7 

494.0 

477.7 

4.59.6 

500.0] 

395.3 

282  6 

284.0 


1 1 .96 

6.74 

6.97 

6.97 

7.22 

8.93 

12.21 

8.10 

18-.46 

16.54 

13.34 


9.78 

9.44' 

10.02 

10.70 


8.69   9.96 

"9^.34 
9.72 
8.91 
1027 
9.09 
9.24 
9.02 
8.34 
7..50!  8. .58 


524.8  12.71 
512.7  10  96 
535.61  8.38 

566.2  7.96 
511.1    9.69 

14..53 

472.8: 16.36 
5 15.9' 11. 20 

493.3  16.9'"' 


1.01 
0.60 
0.81 
3.03 

1  08; 
1,24 
4.41 
1.40 
5.31 
10,51 
3.55 


1124 
612 
40.2 
26.6 
36.1 
57.2 
18.0 

107,1 
00.9 
.53.2 
43.7 


.32  41 
33  29 
33  39 
33,49 
28.92 
33  53 
32.60 

32.49 


CO 


517.0 
477.4 
486.9 


8.94 
7.89 
9.75 


7,84 
8.3l| 
9,84, 
8.59; 
8,03 
10.74'| 
I 

li.09| 
15.87 


0.94 
1.18 
0.85 
0,86 
0,84 
0.96 

oisb 


12.79 
13.85 
16.47 
13,43 
13,75 
14.32 
10,56 
15.05 
13.86 


7.841 


8,41 

7.99 

8.48 

7.48 

866 

6,9 

8,20 

7.34 

4.69 


478.7;11.07 
445  0;i4..34 
403.7,10.70 
.391.8  8.64 
347.4' 10.60 
410  9|  9.07 
448.5,14.83 
350.21  9.72 
418,610.26 

408.7110.27 

I 

4.50.6' l.il.sV 
378,9'  6.01 
417.912.00 
,3754;  5.04 
439.6!  5.68 
353.8 
384.1 
348.8 
98.6 


10.462 
10.592 
10.807 
10.871 

9.626 
10.764 
10.788 

9,881 
10  389 
10.343 

10.381 

9.725 
9.997 


525 


30.33 

.30.72 

.32,69 

30.06 

.33.01 

27.98 

31.18 

32,54 

32.89 

30.90 

33,31 

31.46 

28.01 

25.77 

26.99 

30..52 ! 

28.53 

27.38 

29.03 

29.17 

2680 

21).  74 

27  23 

28.18 

29.15 

26.69 

27,88 

27.55 

27,00 

28,89 

26.53 


11,208 
10.604 
10.935 
11.624 
11.034 

iV.ni 

10,9.56 
10.724 
11.275 

9.887 
10.239 
10.142 
9.740 
9  611 
9,211 
8.588 
9.896 
9.741 
8..583 
9.751 
9,970 

'9.716 
8.497 
9.648 
8.255 
9,178 
7.719 
8942 
7.7.34 
4.707 


^1 


I  11 


135 


t>] 

V 

ev 


rmm/rms  «r  ronjcctiUTs  drrlvt-d  from  c. bsfrvMt.on.  made  at 
n  UK  Avilh  no  standards  oninic,  wd^ht,  <»r  n.ao-.nUule  ;  or 
e von  ru.v  //.orr^/r./  c-o../..s;o..v  drawn  iVo.n  tests,  how.vor 

'kiimiiv'nppiied,  uuM-oiy  to  .in.ic  hand  ^i;;"-;;;;;;;^:  J^  - 

ben  inV  a  ni  in  all  these  iv.scairhes  to  avoid  matteis  txtia- 

ncous    o  the  experiments  themselves  and  to  then-  legitnnale 

Xp  nation.     It  has  not,  been  deemed  expedient  to  swell 

h  5     p o  t  by  the  intrudtietiou  of  matters  not  wulun  my  own 


C0<;'ni/ance 


rhc  mn.ic.roiw  rcrtificatcs  and  ,l,.,-IaratK>ns  %vbjcti,  <  illier 
i„  \t  Con.,  or  vcpor,..  or  o,ho.  .>"l'li«)-i-:'.:±»'    l""   ^j^ 


Le  to  time  been  put  forth  in  re-ard  to  certain  coalN  may  in 

so    0  in^lanres  ),e  entitled  to  consideral ion,  as  evidences  of 

he  •  H  perior  wortli;  i.i  olhers.of  a  eommendablo   mdnstry 

and  ene  ..-v  on  the  part  of  the  proprietors,  a-enfs,  directors  ot 

e  mp   n  c^mid  o:hevs  intereste<l  in  their  development  and  use. 

e  ^commendations  have  not  in  every  instance  l)een  en. 

relyiustiiied,it  is  perhaps  to  be  taken  as  a  new  ev.de  ce 

n    in  this,  as  in  manv  other  important  matters, those  merits 

'v    c     have  not  becn'the  most  loiully  procdaimed  may,  upon 

due  examination,  be  found  amon^^  the  most  estimable  and  the 

"ifwmtuhil  to  be  remarked,  that  the  justly  eeleWted 
forel-n  bituminous  coals  of  Newcastle,  Liverpool,  hco  lam , 
Pictmi,  and  Sidney-coals  which  constitute  the  preseii^    eU- 
anceo  •  the  ""reat  lines  of  Atlantic  steamers— are  fully  e(iuallecl 
^r  n:;le'^nTassc<l  in  stren.:h    by  the   -^lo^ous  ccnds  o^ 
eastern  Vir-inia;  that  llievar.>  decidedly  surpassed  bv  a  I    he 
f^ee-b   rni   .^  coals  of  Maryland  and  Vcmnsylvania;  and  that 
an  equallv  decided  advanlao-e  in  steam-cnera1.ng  power  is 
eniovc.1  bV  the  nnthra.-ires  over  the  ibrei-n  coals  tried  whether 
we  consider  them  under  equal  wei-hts  or  equal  bulks. 

Kxperiment  appears  to  <l<Mnonst rate  that,  lor  the  purpoes 
of  r..Lw  evaporation,  and  for  the  production  ol   illuminating 
..as  the  coal  of  Indiana,  thou-h  neither  very  heavy  nor  veiy 
duralile,  is  inferior  to  none  of  the  highly  bituminous  class  to 
which  it  belongs  ;  since  in  heating  power,  and  '>'  t^J'^m  Irom 
impurity,  it  surpasses  the  splint  and  cannel  tH)al  of  bcotand. 
Appri  ..1  of  the  strong  desire  felt  by  the  Department  to  be 
in  possession  of  the  results  of  these   inquiries,  I  have  spare 
no  elfort  to  bring  them  to  anearly  conclusion,  though  sat islicd 
i\rA  in  doing  so  the  researches  cannot  be  considered  complete. 
One  of  tire  important  points  which  it  would  be  desu-able 
further  to  investigate,  is  the  proportion  oi  sulphur  f    vhich  it 
will  be  seen  by  the  several  synoptical  tables,  was  onl>  tested 


136 


i    ■{ 


•Ic  specimens,  for  a  part  of  the  series.    This  is  ft  labor 
hi  ell,  lor  reasons  ah'cady  assignee?,,  i.'  uuavoulubiy 


on  sins 
of  time,  \v 
left  incomplete 


Another  point  of  pvaetical  importanee  is  the  imposition  ol 


the.  earthy  matter,  or 


ishes,  of  eaeh  coal.     On  the  investi^a 

It  is 


nmd 


lioii  ol  llus,  11  was  not  lound  praeticahle  even  to  enter, 
of  no  incoiisiderabhi  interest,  in  rehation  to  the  metaUurgic 
arts  to  which  coal  is  applieable.  In  lieu  of  any  researches  on 
this  snhiect  upon  the  samples  of  coal  here  reported,  1  be'i  leave 
to  add 'a  series  of  analyses  of  this  nature,  which  1  made 
some  years  since.  They  are  chiefly  the  ashes  of  anthracites. 
One  happens,  however,  to  have  come  Irom  the  same  mines 
which  furnished  one  of  the  samples  of  bituminous  coai  ex- 
amined in  this  report.  _  .       •       r  t        ' 

I  cannot  by  any  means  regard  the  mvcslrgotwnoj  Amtrican 
coals  as  an  exhausted  subject.  i  c?*  . 

A  '^lance  at  anv  good  geological  map  of  the  United  fctates, 
in  which  the  coaf  lields  are  laid  down,  will  show  how  exceed- 
inHv  limited  is  the  whole  amount  of  space  covered  by  tlie 
several  detached  coal  troughs  from  which  the  samples  here 
presented  were  derived,  compared  with  the  immense  extent  ol 
that  formation  which  covers  western  X'cnnsylvama  and  Vir- 
ginia,  eastern  Ohio,  the  eastern  part  of  Kentucky,  a  part  of 
middle  Tennessee,  and  an  undelined  portion  of  Alabama  ;  ami 
much  more  when  compared  with  the  vast  tracts  of  coal  coun- 
try  in  Illinois,  Iowa,  Missouri,  Arkansas,  and  a  considerable 

portion  of  Michigan.  .       ■  *r  ♦ 

The  surprising  extension  of  steam-navigation  on  the  west- 
ern  rivers  and  the  northwestern  lakes,  as  well  as  on  the  gulf 
of  Mexico  and  the  adjacent  seas,  the  increase  of  population, 
and  the  consequent  clearing  of  woodlands,  all  point  signifi- 
cantly to  a  necessity  which  must  be  felt,  at  no  distant  day,  to 
have  recourse  to  mineral  fuel  for  supplying  this  rapidly  in- 
creasing demand. 

To  understand  the  relative  strength  and  usefulness  ot  the 
coals  from  the  several  parts  of  the  three  great  western  coal 
re'Hons,  requires  that  they  be  examined  with  no  less  care 
than  has  been  applied  to  the  limited  spaces  from  which  were 
derived  the  materials  operated  on  during  these  experiments. 
It  may  be  added,  that  the  products  of  many  coal  districts  cast 
of  the  Allegany  mountains  are  yet  unexamined. 

If  in  any  case  knowledge  is  pouer,  it  is  pre-eminently  so 
wh(>n  it  relates  to  a  subject  which  constitutes  the  greatest 
element  of  power  in  the  physical  world,  and  in  the  present 
age  of  marvellous  developments. 


5  n.  labor 
voulubly 

isition  of 
ivestiy;a- 
cr.  It  is 
itallurgic 
irchcs  on 
;)eK  leave 
1  1  made 
thracites. 
ue  niinea 
(  coai  ex- 

Anitrican 

E(l  States, 
kV  exceed- 
•d  by  the 
iples  here 
}  extent  of 
and  Vir« 
a  part  of 
ima ;  and 
;oal  coun« 
tisiderable 

I  the  west- 
1  the  ^ulf 
(opulalion, 
int  signiti- 
int  day,  to 
rapidly  in- 

less  of  the 
;stern  coal 
i  less  care 
I'hich  were 
:])eriments. 
istricts  tast 

ninentlv  tso 
he  greatest 
the  present 


]\IISCELLAX£OUS  HESEAIICIIES 


ON  THE 


CONSTITUTION,  niOPERTIES  AND  RELATIVE  VALUES 


or 


COALS. 


In  the  proceedings  of  the  National  Institution,  at  Washing, 
ton,  ('^d  Bulletin,  p.  1G5,)  for  February,  lH4'v%  the  following 
paper  was  published ; 

♦*  (ht  the  Pracliatl  Dctrnnin/rfion  of  the  Healing  Power  of 
Fi«I,  hi/  Wfdtcr  R.  Johnson" — "In  the  progress  of  improve- 
ments in  arts,  navigation,  and  the  application  of  heat  to  do- 
mestic purposes,  questions  of  great  interest  present  themselves 
for  experimental  determination. 

"The  new  era  in  our  naval  history  which  is  about  to  com- 
mence with  the  introduction  of  war  steamers,  is  a  very  suita- 
ble period  to  inquire  into  the  relative  values  of  those  varieties 
of  fuel  which  may  be  found  available  for  the  purposes  of 
steam  navigation. 

"  In  various  parts  of  the  United  States  are  found  combusti- 
bles adapted  to  this  purpose  ;  but  as  yet  their  relative  values, 
either  as  compared  with  each  other  or  with  the  foreign  mine- 
ral fu(d  so  much  used  at  present,  have  been  but  partially  de- 
termined. 

"  In  a  work  recently  published  relating  to  the  use  of  an- 
thracite in  the  manufacture  of  iron,  I  have  given  several  ta- 
bles of  experiments  conducted  by  different  individuals,  ex- 
hibiting the  result  of  trials  on  a  few  varieties  of  anthracite 
and  ])ituminous  coals.  The  same  work  also  contains  a  synop- 
sis of  what  has  been  done  in  Europe  towards  determining 
this  important  question  of  the  relative  values  of  coals  for  the 
production  of  steam. 

"It  is  proposed  in  this  commimication  to  present  to  the  Na- 
tional Institution  some  few  general  results,  to  which  the  de- 
10 


ii     V  T 


l! 


1 

1 

■ 

1 

1- 

'i 

hi 


139 


to  ler\<1. 


>vit\i  the  same  Vinds  of  tuel.  ^^^  ^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^  ,1ct.'rmm. 

Mt,mayiu)t\)e.am.sstostat^  ^.^^  ^,^^^   purpose  of 

^rr^^'^Kr^uJe^d  i^-por  by  the  combust.,  of  a 

the  quantity  of  oxygen  ^'^^  "'^^^   «^^^^^^^       Assuining  that,  the 
order  to  eOeet their eompleteconibivt^^^^^^^^.^.^^^^^^^^,        ,He 

quantity  of  heat  ^'lonle^^  --y\\\^^  ealculation  of  relaiu^ 
quantity   of    oxygen  ^^"'""^^^,\\,e  ^  that  the  hctit- 

heating  powers  was  ^'^^  e  po'  ;^  determined,  and  that  the 
ing  power  of  pure  ^^J^'^'^*  J  i;^^;!'^;,^,!  be  proportionrvte  to  the 
powJer  of  other  ^ombus   bles  ^^ou Ul        1^^  J^^^^  ^^^ 

Lveral  quantities  of  ^^^"^^^^.^ove  recently  those  of 
"Tlie  experirnents  «'   ^^^^"'f^ftVgive  the  heating  power  of 
Desprefz,  have  been  re  bed  upon  to  „     ^^^^       ^^  ^^,^^^^^ 

b:??;f3^SK^ivSCru.j:.und.at^ 

perature  of  212.°  p.„^^,dson  and  those  of  negnanU  on 

^  "TheexpermicntsofUchaia  ^  ,^„a  Shoedler 

coals,  and  the  anah-se    of  J«^ ?  \>^,.,,,  ,,y  this  theoretical 

have  all  had  m  v,eW  ^^\^,;^.7.\|,^  several  ^ 
means  of  the  heatmg  powe    «^  J'\^  ^J\^  -^  y,,,^  failed  to  give 
"^^:^genioi.s  as  tl^j^-^l^;:;:  ;:^  ^^  !^v  dueed  when  a  pr^vcti- 
results  which  could  be,  ^^^\"f\7\;J'^,ae  of  the  information 

tVc  Uind  of  cvapora  ,ng  ^  ^^  ' '*■' Xcis  of  combusticn,  the 
the  nature  anJ  coml.l.on  of  '''«  P™'"„f  „,„  „■„  ,vl,i»l>  aip- 
tlmv<^'r.lmc  of  ^vatcr  useil    anO^  ^  ^    o^        attentively  con- 

P."r  "r  Chr— ic:"u;  rue,  U^df  al.o  ..escve, 
sidereti.     a  no  ">  o  "^ 


i  ■p 


139 


)t.'tined 

tprmin- 
])ose  of 

on  of  a 

jonslitvi- 
mpnling 
\;\\m\  i« 
that,  the 
e  to  the 
r<'l  alive 
the  heat- 
that  the 
tc  to  tbe 
irb. 

y  tho'^e  of 
'power  of 
cr  evnpo- 
rcoal,  oh- 
takinj^  the 
it  thctcm- 

r'njnanU  on 
I  'shoedler, 
theoretical 
isriblc?5. 
iled  to  give 
"U  a  practi- 
iiilbrination 
;  of  the  cal- 

of  the  fuel, 
X  of  the  iire, 

bll^i1io^,  ^^i« 

M-hich  stip- 

ntively  con- 

ilso  deserves 

\  to,  ore  ilc- 
^.  L.  Dana's 


}• 


( 


experiments.     Each 
days*  wovliing. 


result  is  generally  the  average  of  several 


Kind  of  D«iitor  employ fd.. 


Kint)«  of  Coal  used* 


I'ounils  Steam  to 
of  Ciiul  I  of  Coal 
huriit'il      fiom 
pcrh'r!   212°. 


I.  Pli)tn«MimUinil,  vo^ 
frcl  ill  U-ii^th,  30^ 
inch,  in  tVnmu'tpr.    j 


8.  Cyl^(1rt^ll.  20  fwt 
loiitr,  45  inchos  in 
iiiiiiiH'K'r* 


Sydney,  N.  S.,  civirse  hiturniuouscoal 

r"hil;iiltlpliiu  pi'ti  antliriH'ite 

t'hiKui.  i)P!»,  mean  of  U)  days  running 


Sydney,  coarse 

J  Aiillniicite  dust,  ^  Sydney  slack. . 
:f  Anthracite  dust,  :!  Sydney  slack. . 
Ucst  Peach  Moiuitain  anthracite. . .  . 

I'eacii  Mountain  anthracite 

Heaver  Meadow  anthracite. ........ 

t.'oarise  Lackawanna  anthracite 


201^ 

7.18 

180 

8.00 

100 

•J.  48 

3.  A«etof  3<'ytindriear 
boilers,  3ti  It.  lorn;, ' 
3(i  in.   diameter. 


Coarse  anthrncite. 
Coarse  anthracit**. 


6.04 
7.40 

7  ."il 
8.00 

8  43 
8.89 
9.17 

10,60 
11.5'i 


4.  Four  Cylindrical,  set 
ontlieplancf.Vlr.A. 
A  Hayes,  each  boil 
ff  "41)  leet  long  and 
Ui  inched  ((>  (liitine< 
ten 


> 


S"dnpy,  ttcreenrd  from  dust. ,.,,.. 

iSydiiey  slack  alone 

Philiidei|)hia  pea  anthracite 

*  Anthracite  dust,  \  Sydney  slack. 
Larkawanna  antliracite,  nut  size. .  . 
■;  Anthracite  dust,  i  Sydney  slack. 
Lackawanna  anthracite,  egg  size. .  , 
^  Anthracite  dust,  h  Sydney  slack. 
,'  Antliracite  dust,  i  Sydney  slack..  . 
■j  Anthracite  dust,  j  Sydney  slack. .  . 
ij  Philad.  pea  anthr'te,  i  Sydney  slack. 
Lackawanna  anthracite,  egg  size 


250 


5.  Tuhular,  :i6  ft.  long.") 


33  in.  diaiiicler,  VZ\   Coarse  I-ackawanna  anthracite . 

tuhes,:iiu.  diainet'r.  3 


85,8,    n.96 


6.  Curnish,  usual  fop.-"^  i 

struction,    3f)    feet  j    j,y Jney,  coarse 

long,  tilt. exterior,  3  }■  L^^.j-.j^anna  anthracite,  coarsB...., 
ft.  Iti  ill.  in  intenor  J 
diameter.  J 


233i 


7.  Improved     <"ornish,'^  ; 

havii;g3iiiter'rhoil-  L  .... 

er  tildes  each  19  in.  |  Coarse  anthracite,  kind  uncertain.  .  . 
in  diametrr  inserted  V  ■}  Pea  aiilhra(  ite,  i  bituminous  slack, 
in  the  interior  Hue,  ^  Lackawanna  anthracite,  usual  size... 


end  ofthe  lower  — 
cut    aw.iy    to   give  ,  | 
room  for  grate         ^ 


Ucavci  iMeadov*'  anthracite.. 


15.5.4 


57.3 
13(i  {> 
145 
i22 


6.32 
7.75 


9  51 

1 2  08 
12.98 
13.41 


Uurned  with  fan  btasU 


5.83 

^ 

8,  tit 

9.06 

9.(50 

9.77» 

1 

10.24* 

10,28 

12..'b2 

_j 

11.3G* 

11.37* 

10,8G« 

11,55 

liilili 


r 


I  ■  ! 


'The  following  res 


HO 

.ultshavc  been  obtainca  by  Mr.  ^Stevens* 
in  New  Jersey,  ru  a,  Loc.n.otive  boiler  oi*  the  ccinn.on  lorm . 

Schuvlkill  anthracite.  051   r.7..  P^'^^tar''^  ^''      ""'' 
Wood    1.71,  l"^'^'^^  ponntls  burned  per  hour. 

"Mr    Thomas  Wiekstec.l  has  puidished  a  ^'j*  ^f/^^j^fj^^ 

;:iable^'ith  the  preceding  and  Ibllowmg  set.: 

Dlvthe  Maine  Northumberland  bituminous  coal.  7.44. 

Derbyshire  bituminous  conl,  7.()1. 

Lnr-e  New-Castle  coal,  ayernsc  H.^i. 

Derbyshire  J„  small  New-C^asl  Ic  |.  W.bO. 

Welsli  i,  N(;\v-Cas;je  i,  K8« 

Gas  coke  ^,  small  Ne%Y-Castlc  i  8.9i. 

Gas  coke  i»U)ne,  8.<.)'2. 

Avern«,^e  Welsh,  H,<.)8. 

Average  small  New-Castle,  9.01. 

Best  small  New-Castle,  O.^^. 

Anthracite,  10.17, 

Best  Welsh  coal,  10.71. 
"In  the  work  on  Anthracite  Iron, above  ^^^^jf ';'";:*»  ^^^^^^^ 

different  forms  of  boilers. 

1.  hi  n  Locnmotit'C  B<nkr. 
itnminous  coal,  by  N.  Wood^s  experiments,  5.12. 
oke,  by  Tambour's  trial,  7.12. 

%  In  Wagon  Boitrrs. 

Newcastle  bituminous  coal,  by  Watt^.  trials  OJVJ. 
Bitrntnons  coal,  variety  uncertain,  eight  «et«  oi  experi- 

Bi;u^ouf;al,rarke'sexperimcnt.A>rsixmonrUM0.^8. 

3.  In  Cornish  lWihr&. 

Welsh  coal,  trial  by  Ilenwood   ll.oa. 

Welsh  coal,  experiments  cited  by  Henwood,  11.79. 

4.  In  a  Murine  Boihr  on  hoard  the  Sumn^r  African. 
Heaton  bituniinous  coal,  8,15. 


Bit 

Col 


141 


^t  evens 
i  l\>rm : 

?r  hour. 

results 
I,  which 
ml  coiu- 

7.44. 


1,  vviU  be 

aporativc 
crience  in 


12. 


of  expcri- 
itUs,  10.'48. 


11.78. 
frican. 


5.  In  four  CyUmh'icnl  Hoikrx  on  llnjm^s  ptnn. 
Anthracite  J,  bituminous  dust  ]•,  ll.H.'J. 

6.  In  a pjoin  IVgh  Vnsxure  Buikr. 

Scotch  hituminons  cofil,  by  Vy^i\  7.71. 
AnlUviicite,  Uiud  uuccrluiw,  10.10. 

7.  In  rimjrr's  lioihrfor  «.«//»g  Anthracite. 

Anthracite,  by  Sch:\iifl>;iufrs  trials,  12.40. 
AulUvacile,  by  rarku'suiul  Miiubey's  trials,  13.23. 

Bi'ECirx  GHAvny,  .\s  as  indux  of  purity  in  coai.?. 

1.  The  folhnvhig  analyses  of  nuthmcitcs  found  ontlic  head 
Wiitors  of  UoavrrlCn^ck,  Ivuzcrne  r-onnty,  Pa.»  nro  rontninrd 
in  a  report  i)iiblished  bv  the  writer  \n  the  .Toiinuil  of  the 
Frauklin  In.stilute,  Vol.  21,  p.  28!^  for  November,  IH.'Jt), : 


1st. 
2d. 
3d. 
4th 


l..*)l)») 
1.01.3 


Vol.  mat.  Fixe<!  carbon. 

ti.t2  IJ2..'l(> 

4.ai  91.00 

7..'il  «7.1S 

9.60  «.5.3.37 


GM 


89.1. V3 


Aslu>8. 

1.28 
4.t)0 
5.01 
5.0(53 

3.838 


Mean     l.OUO 

From  th«»  nhovc  tabh\it  will  bf^.  perceived  that  the  (luantity 
of  ashes  increases  as  thn  speeilic  gravity  increases,  and  that 
the  quantitv  ol' lixed  carbon  diminishes  as  the  specific  gravity 
inereases.  'This  mi^lit  possit)ly  not  be  foiuid  to  hold  good  iu 
all  coal-fields,  though  I  am  inclined  to  think  tliat  in  the  same 
coal-field  the  relalions  of  dificrent  plies  will  be  found  to  con- 
firm  the  same  general  law.  ,  ,      .       ^,r       ,      j  • 

2.  The  so  caUed  Cumberland  coal  bastn  of  Maryland  is  not 
Ihnlted  to  that  Si  ate,  but  extends  in  a  northeaslwardly  direc- 
tion into  the  County  of  Somerset,  iu  iVunsylvania,  and  south- 
wcstwardly  into  the  State  of  Virginia.  The  writer  had  oc- 
casion  some  time  since  to  examine,  professioT.ally,the  geologi- 
cal structure,  and  to  analyze  the  coals  of  a  portion  of  this  coal 
field  near  the  borders  of  rennsylvania. 

The  coal  field  api)cars  to  be  gradually  rising  from  about  the 
vieiuity  of  Frostbuvg  to  a  point  about  five  miles  northeast  of 
that  at  which  the  ci>al  trough  crosses  the  &tate  line. 


I 


iiil 


i  e 

^i 

:l 

|-: 

*        I- 

1         :        N 

142 


to 


l!;:,--;;n::;!;^;:£';^;--— ^ 


Nnmc  of  Coul. 


e 


k-  a 


«  —  I       SJ     L.    — 

E   I  o  --   il  .2 

Si—  o  c  £ 


e 

Id 
O 

•a 


llcyiiuinV  iifW  opiMiir-;. 
\VflUT'8  4ft'et  Vein 


Iloyninn's  Old  Opening. 
IIoynian'sG  feet  lied.... 


Iloyninn's  8  feet  Bed. 


Schaeffer's  New  Opening 

D.Korns' Old  Opening !     ^ '^^ 


1.32 
1.32 


1.34 

i..3r. 

1.3G 
1.37 


Uhl'sT  feet  Bed 

Meeting-house  Vein. 


Weller  &  Hardin' 


1.39 

1.48 

1.4!) 


2.0 
1.4 


1.2 
1.3 

1.1 

1.3 

1.4 

1.7 
1.2 


18.2         74.7.") 
18..'',    !     O'J.HJ 


2U.G     1     r,9.90 
18.5    '     G8.53 

17.2     •     71.50 


17.5 
18.7 


70.70 
G8.4G 


George's  Creek,  Md 

Eckert's  Mine,  Maryland  Mining^- 1_1_.-^ 


16.8         G8.44 
17.5         G8.5G 


1.4  1G.2         CG.3G 


Inclu'd  will 
volat'e  mat 
Do. 


1G.03  j     70.75 
■l5.G2  1     G8.5G 


Average  results 

Average  of  G  samples  in  Amer.  Kept 

that  ^vi.l.in  the  sn,i,c    o     .  '^,„^,^'^.i\„  !„<lcx  of  a  greater 
end  of  tl'c  coal  ti'ougli,  ^vc  lia\c— 


143 


ii])Joctc(l 
llifir  1)0- 


c 

CS 

O 


71.7') 
(iU.lO 


r,9.90 
I     G8.53 

71.50 


5 

70.70 

7 

G8.4G 

8 

G8.44 

5 

G8.5G 

GC.3G 

.O;}       70.75 
M  i     68. 5G 


.Gl 


LIU 


CO.  71 


he  in'inciple, 
c  gravity  iu 
of  a  greater 
1  tlic  liglitcr 
k'li  numbers 
^euusylvauia 


havloiir  under 

tlu!  nature  of  their  a; 


,he  e(I\M.t  of  heat,  their  im)ximateconstifuon^^^^ 
hes  and  the  ratio  ot  then- lixed  enitmn. 


1    i)    . 

^'52 

•^   0    m 

^   >   s 

^ 

.2-1 

S  "3    ® 

< 

K    ^    " 

4.O.". 

1.1G2 

11.00 

:..7:i5 

8.10 

:i.:j'j:j 

11.  GG 

a.  705 

Cl.iiracters  of  Conl,  Coke,  nnd  Asl.es. 


10.20 


4.157 


10., '■)0 

4.010 

11.44 

:i.GGl 

12.  OG 

4.07.'} 

12.7!) 

.T.OIS 

1G.04 


4.0!)G 


\.lu.8  l,ri"l.t,  l.nfr,  or  fuv.M.  clor..!  ;  rrmurknbly  lii^l.t.. 
C.l  .  .  f  cou   .!.•.■,.  l.l..ck;  .fucu.n-  colu.unar ;  .to.,  trncture 

inlliant ;   horizontal  pnnin.H  dull;  n^lu-s  l.lnck.sU   gray; 

coke  n.ore  tlm.i  dont.le  the  ariount  ot    he  co  .K 
T.x.urc  oiHM>  ;  color  ,|.t  I'lack.  with  nuUsc.nt  s  >o  :  ,    ustt^ 

alt.rnat'-ly   .hi.unu'  »n.l  dull;   siructure  ihoinboidal  ;  nil- 

„ies  75-  and  l.^Oo  ;  ashes  reddish  i^vry,  dense. 
Strl.cture    rlio-ul.oidal ;  surfaces   ot    .lepo^.tum    dead  1.1a.  k  , 

eSesot-    lien  8.unin«  jet   black  ;  coke  mo.lerately  dense. 

ilde  the  bulk  of  coal ;  ashes  reddish  grey,  .noderately 

Cotrni'arly  jet  black,  shining;  structure  rhond.oidal,  foli- 
u ted  grai.t  occasionally  conu.rte.i,  .nam  cleats  mchned  to 
slrfuces  of  d.posil.on   3U^   and  15U-  a«hes  light  colored. 

^.S^^hhlhlgt^Sued  with  ochre  ;  ashes  chocolate  brown, 

8.?™  cubical ;  color  de.-p  black  .  swells  but  little  in  cok- 
ing    X.len.e,  dark  ,n.y,  without  lustre  ;  ashes  between 

fiiwn  and  II.'hU  ...lor,  .lense.  ,.  ,        ,   u„ik„  .  „,,Up 

C.al  discoU.red  with  ..chre  ;  ashes  purplish  red,  bulky  ,  coke 

more  than  double  the  bulk  ot  coal.  •        •     i  „ 

S,  uc   ue  cohnnnar  ;  color  deep  black  ;  pUes  vary.n-^  in     s- 

tre  ;  eke  .louble  the  bulk  of  coal,  iron  gray,  reddi.h  ;  ashes 

re.l.lish  "rev.  dense. 
St   .  lu  ec^lmniar;  c.lor  dull  black  ..r  iridescent ;  le.xture 
friable  ;  coke  two-lhirds  more  bulky  than  coal ;  ashes  llesh 

red.  dense. 
Coke  bulky  ;  ashes  reddish  grey. 

Coke  like  the  preceding  ;  ashes  lighter  color 


Mean  specific  gravity  of  the 
two  speciinciLs. 
1.32 
1.35 
1.305 
1.385 
1.485 


Mean  per  centage  of  earthly  mat- 
ter in  the  two  specimens. 
7.52 
9..')8 
10.35 
11.75 
14.41 


I"- 


if 


i 


lii 


f 


144 

And  again  comparing  ilie  last  two  specimens,  (both  from 
Maryland,)  we  have — 


1.34 
1.44 


13.22 

18.25 


George's  Creek, 
Eckcrt's  Mine, 

3.  Besides  the  foregoing  proofs  of  the  ^^^'^V!'^^^ 
made  of  the  density  of  coals  to  determine,  approxim.itelj,  their 
Te^tlve  reedom  from  earthy  matter,  the  following  extract  from 
[£e  Proceedings  of  the  Academy  of  Natural  Science,  \  ol.  II., 
p.  8,  February  13,  1844,  may  be  adduced : 

"Prof  Tohnson  communicated  some  observations  jn  /ela- 
tion to  the  properties  and  habitudes  of  dillerent  varieties  of 

''''"^i  He  gave  the  results  of  some  recent  analyses  of  coal, 
whi  hltrofgly  conlirm  the  position  which  he  ^-^^^^^^^ 
advanced,  vTz. :  that  in  coals  from  the  same  coal  ^I'^^'ic     and 

^^t^thit  part  of  the  mineral  -^^-^ --^ Vf  f  .;!  ^.^     f ^f 
ble  may  be  considered  as  «i"»l^»-b',t^o"stitu  ed,  tl  e  /./^^^//^  ot 

dilferent  specimens  may  be  regarded  as  the  index  to  their 

"  "  F:^™n^amples  of  coal  iVom  dillerent  mining  districts 
were  taken,  at  random,  specimens  for  analysis. 

From  the  first  sample.  specir..en  j  a  had  a  sp.  gr.  1  4f  and  gave  of  ashes,  IS.nO 
specimen  ^  0  i.^--*  ^^         ^  ^_ 

"      second  do. 


third  do. 
fourth  do. 
fifth  do. 
sixth  do. 
seventh  do 


1322 
1.3U5 

1.304 
1.30'J 

1.339 
1.2:25 

1.315 
1.335 

1..347 
1.329 

1.511 

1.289 


8 

5.G.-)3 
5.239 

4.081 
0.519 

9.109 

7.398 

10.(190 
11.071 

13.7G8 
11.072 

21.2,">0 
G.ObO 


«2.  lie  also  called  attention  to  the  fact  that    rom the.. ime 
hand  specimen,  may  often  be  obtained  widely  ^^^^^^'^^^^^^ 
bv  analysis.     A  small  specimen  was  shown,  in  which  weie 
d  sola  xd  most  decided  Vliiibrences  of  structure,  lustre,  eolor 
character  of  powder,  amount  of  volatile  matter,  -mo  urn,  ad 
character  of    inpurities.     This  was  a  specimen  o    coal  f  oin 
the  Cumberland  coal   field  of  Maryland-in  which  a  polio 
was  columnar  and  crystalline  in  form-ot  a  ^^^;:;n^  J^^  W^J  ^ 
color,  shining  and  friable,  giving  a  brown  powdei,  and  wlicn 


145 


1  from 


nay  be 
>',  their 
3t  from 
^ol.  II., 

II  rcla- 
Dties  of 

)f  coal, 
viously 
ict,  and 
mbiisti- 
nsitij  of 
o  their 

listricts 


ics,  18.!)n 
18.318 

5.053 
5.239 

4.081 
(i.5lt) 
9.109 

7.398 

10. 1190 
ll.UTl 

13.7G8 
'       11.072 

«       21.250 

"       {j.obo 

the  same 
[it  results 
ell  were 
re,  color, 
ount.  and 
oal  from 
a  portion 
jet  black 
md  when 


coked,  yielding  a  highly  intumescent  porous  mass,  and  leaving, 
'vhen'complet'ely  incinerated,  only  1.7.>4  per  cent,  of  md.sh 
yellow  or  fawn  coloured  ashes,  exceedingly  light,  and  liable 
to  be  carried  away  by  the  slightest  motion  ot  air.     1  he  same 
part  yielded   18.28  per  cent,  of  volatile  matter,  and  conse- 
quently left  79.m'.0  pe'r  cent,  of  fixed  carbon.    The  other  part,  of 
the  specimen  was  amorphous  in  structure   tmigh  in  consist- 
enee  (lull,  and  almost  destitute  of  lustre,  yielding,  when  com- 
Xe!    pulverized,  an  almost  black  powder.     It  gives,  ^^d.en 
incinerated    11.73(5  per  cent,  of  ashes,  ot  a  greenish  white 
CO     'veiy  dense,  and  cohering  slightly  when  strongly  heated 
Its  volatile  matter  is   1.5.07C.  percent.,  and  consequentl"  Mie 
fixed  carbon  00.288.    The  coke  swells  more  or  less  accoiclmg 
to  the  rapidity  of  the  application  of  heat.    The  ratios  of  hxed 
to  volatile  combustible  are  1.37  and  4.40. 

"3  lie  adverted  to  the  designations  red  and  white  a^h 
coals',  and  exhibited  proofs  that  mere  analysis,  on  a  minute 
scale  is  liable  to  mislead  us  in  regard  to  the  true  charac.erof 
the  earthy  residua  of  the  coals  in  question.  He  exhibited  a 
sample  of  ashes  and  of  clinker,  from  Lackawanna  anthracite 
obtained  from  the  combustion  of  two  ton<  of  that  coal;  and 
also  a  specimen  of  ashes  from  the  ana  ysis  of  a  hand  speci- 
men-  -the  former  being  dark  brownish  red,  and  the  latter 
almost  nerfectly  white.  ^  ^   ,  .       p 

"4  lie  pres-ented  evidences  of  the  effect  of  the  rate  of 
heating  on  the  amount  and  character  of  the  coke  produced 
from  a  -iven  weight  of  coal  of  the  same  kind,  showing  that 
v.hen  a'brisl:  and  intense  action  of  heat  suddenly  applied  is 
made  the  means  of  coking  the  coal,  a  considerably  grea  er 
amount  of  volatile  matter  is  expelled  than  when  a  slow  .ip- 
plication  of  heat  gradually  drives  off  the  matter  volatilizable 
by  that  principle  alone." 

SALTS    OF    AMMONIA    IN    THE    DUST    OF    ANTHRACITE    FURNACES. 

(F,  om  the  proceedinis  of  the  Academy  of  Xalural  Sciences,  vol.  3.  p.  191,  for 

March  IG,  1847.) 

*' Professor  Johnson  communicated  some  observations  and 
exDcrimonts  on  th-^  dus.,  of  anthracite  furnace  flues.  Having 
several  years  since  ascert^-Jned  the  i)resence  of  large  quanti- 
ties of  salt  s  of  ammonia,  both  sulphates  and  chlorides  in 
llu'es  and  sfove  pipes  where  anthracite  is  consumed,  he  had 
rcceiilly  diivcted  attention  to  this  as  a  source  from  xvhieh  a 
moderate  supply  of  these  salts  for  the  uses  ot  horticulture 
may  readily  be  obtained.     It  was  therefore  deemed  worthy  ot 


I 
i  ^ 

i 

1 

• 

1 

i  j 

si^ 


146 

a  trial  to  ascertain  iu  ^vlu1t  propovtion  the  .salts  solul.lc  in 

g  ve  a  saline  residuum  ou  complete  ^vaporatum      1  he  h<iUid 
was  of  rt  dark  browu  color,  and  on  nimlys;.  ^^^^  ^^^  \     . 
Sulphate  of  lime  -    .    -         "         "         "     .^'l 
Sulphate  of  Arimoma-        -         •        "     •J^;^-* 
Chlor-lraraleof  Ammoma  -         -        -     »;»  •^* 
Compound  tarry  matter        •        •        •     j*J__ 

ral  steps  of  analysis,  may  be  taken  at  i  per  ceut. 

MKClf  ASSCAL  HTRCCTUra:  AND  RELATIVE  AUKS  OV  COALS. 

The  question  of  the  identify  and  contemp.)vnne««sness  of 
thJ?^<^great  divisions  of  the  coal  measures  "f^^^^J  JS 
hTsiomelimes occupied  the  attention  ot  geologists.     A muu  .  r 
5::;Hr  is  oeensioLly  agitated  in  Europ^m^^^^^ 
Anthracite  and  Bituminous  coal  fields  oi  that  tpiarter  oi  mc 

"^  Amon-  the  arguments  in  favor  of  the  contempornneous 
depoTS  of  the  coal  in  the  two  regions,  those  uh.ch  are 
S  from  the  sin.ilarity  of  the  accon.pa.n.t.g  n';;-"^;;  'f 
mpmhers  of  the  coal  series  in  the  tAVO  regions,  tmd  the  re.em- 
S:^::;  idenHty  of  the  ibssil  oij^anic  r~  ;.^oinr>a„y^ 
the  coal  iu  both  cases,  are  rot  the  least  \n eight),  li"-  I'rt- 
lence  of  large  bodies  of  carbonate  of  iron  mlerpos<>«l  .'ui';>  S 
the  CO  a  bed^  in  both  coal  districts,  is  an  analogous  cnyuin- 

orcoalwere  produced  under  circumstances  at  least  strongly 

'^aI::!;!;:? ^:!:ur;;ll-^    n.vorable  to  the  supposed  similarity 
of  c  m  S  which  accompanied  the  deposition  ol  anthr a- 

cite  and  biSminous  coal,  is  the  resemblance  m  mechameal 
s  rue  ore  of  he  two  kind's.  Tliis  may,  at  the  first  cnur.eiation 
s2m"^^what  startling;  especially  since  the  terms  h^ny. 
K  and  tough,  are  generally  applied  to  th^  ^^^^^^^^  ^ 
soft  and  friable,  or  tender,  to  the  other.  It  »^»^«^<^*^;;'*\V^ 
Jrue, That  strong  mechanical  resemblances  exist;  ami  the 


I 
fi 


:olu1)lc  in 
ordinary 
rpose,  one 
)oi't  ions  of 
r«'d,  or  to 
Vhe  li<iuM 

I  grains 
» 

i 

I 

J  grains',  = 
D  ihc  suve- 


0AL8. 
>er  ii ) 

Ronsnt'ss  of 
nusylvani;!, 
A  i^injUur 
cncc  to  the 
lirler  of  the 

nipornnt'ous 
wbiclj  are 
tiioaMircs  or 
\  the  rcscm- 
L'oinpaTiyuig 
.  The  |)rc- 
-oscd  among 
ou!^  cirouin- 
olh  varlfties 
ast  sli-ongly 

;cl  ^imUarity 
;)nof  anthra- 

ine<;huni<'al 
enunciation, 
terms  heavy, 
le,  nnJ  Hsht, 

ncverihi'it'ss 

ist;  ami  the 


■i, 


147 

i„  „n<Io,hins  ^'f .- -;  '  ;l»  :  .'    r.r'i:  :  mine  .1.0  .rue 
n,.,l  w.-tl  u..(  .Tslooil,  llMt  "  "    ,^:  ""  ,„,„„ so ikr disturbed 

kinds  oi  coal.  commonly  a  fracture  or 

namos  ot      cleats     or     ._tnH  ,  «cems  to  deter- 

««        :.,o'»     Tho  <1  rection  m  \vhich  inese  run,  ^•-t"^.^  •" 

'a„.l  ar.env.r,Is  ea,T.vin«  "l-^  -orU.n,      l^-^^'    ^  ^fj^tain 
In  most  bituminous  coaN,        t    I     l  -u-c  dio^cnto  call  sur- 


148 


III  ^ 


seldom  talce  place  alonj?  the  snrfac«»  of  doposition ;  but  on 
ignitiiij?  the  specimen,  we  may  generally  obtain  partings  in 
those  Natural  seams.  , 

The  regular  slines  also,  in  anthraeite,  arc  sometimes  so  lar 
obliterated  as  to  be  onlv  developed  by  strong  heat  or  pjirtial 
combustion.  They  are'then  ^h<)^v»  by  the  thin, \yhitc  shming 
lamina-  of  earthy  matter,  hicli  mark  two  opposite  sides  ot  a 
lump  of  half  burnt  coal.  ^ 

The  absolute  direction  of  the  cleat  is  very  various.  At  t  ic 
Laurel  Hill  mines,  in  Ilazle  creek  valley,  it  is  believca  to  be 
about  north  80°  East.  . 

In  some  beds  of  coa!  which  1  discovered  and  examined  on 
the  West  Branch  of  thte  Susquehanna,  it  is  due  cast  and  west 

bv  compass.  ^    *.  r« 

'In  the  Middleton  mine  coal,  in  the  northerly  part  of  Lng- 
land,  it  is  from  N.  20^  W.  to  N.  S^MV. 

The  seeond,or  "  short  cleat."  in  opposition  to  the  **  long  cleat, 
which  extends  for  great  distrmccs,  is  the  cross  parting  already 
spoken  of,  and  not  unfrequentlv  runs  perpendicularly  to  the 
directions  of  both  the  **  cleavage  of  the  laminfc  and  to  the 
long  cleat."  •  This  is  seen  in  both  bituminous  coals  and  an- 
thracites, ,  ,      /.  •     T      *' 

Another  circumstance  to  which  I  would  refer,  as  indicative 
of  the  similarity  of  origin  and  correspondence  in  character, 
between  bituminous  coals  and  anthracites,  is  the  correspond- 
ence of  the  two,  in  respect  to  the  composition  of  the  ashes  of 
the  two  kinds.  Silica,  alumina,  oxide  of  iron,  with  small 
amounts  of  lime,  magnesia,  and  occasionally  ot  oxide  ot 
manganese,  are  the  ingredients  of  the  ashes  ol  both  kuu  s 
of  coal.  The  proportions  varv, not  only  in  the  dillorent  kinds 
of  coal,  but  also  in  the  several  plies  of  the  same  !)ed,  both  in 
the  bituminous  and  anthracite  districts.  In  the  anthracite, 
the  diversity  of  composition  is  marked  by  the  color  oi  the 
diiferent  streaks  after  partial  incineration.  ^ 

Another  resemblance  between  the  two  kinds  is,  that  m  the 
anthracite  beds,  spaces  partially  vacant  are  found  to  contain 
masses,  with  a  pully  aspect  on  the  exterior,  so  strongly  re- 
Fembling  coke,  that  it  might  bo  diflicult  at  the  tirst  glance  to 
distino-Liish  a  fragment  of  it  from  a  piece  of  artilicial  coke. 
Natural  coke  is  also  found  in  connection  with  beds  of  bitu- 
minous  coal,  especially  where  the  latter  arc  in  close  proximity 
with  primitive  strata— as  in  the  mines  of  Virginia. 

When  coal  contains  a  large  proportion  of  earthy  matter, 
and  is  deposited  in  thin  lamiua',it  will,in  the  state  ot  anthra- 
cite,  be  found  to  part  with  great  ditiiculty  in  the  ducction  ol 


il!  ! 


149 

the  surfaces  of  deposition.  It  will  then  be  seen  to  givo  frac- 
turc.:<level«j>in-  a  multitude  of  smrdl  concUo.cla  sar  aces. 
TI  is  is  !)y  lUe  mit.ers  termed  boi.y  coal;  and  that  it  wel  dej 
serve,  its  name  may  he  evinee.i  by  its  actually  being  so  haid 
as  sometimes  t<»  strike  lire  with  steeh 

Coal  occasionally  assumes  the  uppeamnce  of  ^eU  d.  ii  ed 
rhombic  prisms  and  octae<lra,  occasionally  with  s  riated  sur- 
IS.  In  which  cases,  tlioa^h  the  cleiivages  be  dUlunilt  and 
obscure,  they  are  nevertheless  practicable. 

Anrsr  •,>t~.Prc,lessorJ<)hns,)u  exhibited  several  specimens 
oicr^sUdhhl  anthracite  and  bituminous  coal,  and  Htate(W^)me 
of  the  circumstances  which  seem  to  determine  the  a^^umptlon 
bv  this  mi.»eral,of  certain  ti^mres  contrary  to  the  assertion  of 
many  mlneralo-ists  that  it  has  no  dclinile   orm. 

The  forms  whi.-h  anthracite  occasionally  presents  arep 
1.  (noUU  which  causes  it,  in  breakin-  especially  when  the 
tract, ire  \akes  place  iVom  lono;  exposure  to  the  a  inosphe.  e,^ 
fall  into  spheroidal  masses  with  salient  portions  «  '  >  >^'1>^^. 
mindin-  us  of  truncated  an-les  m  ordinary  crystals.      Ihs 
«;^n  e  has  often  been  observed  in  one  of  the  beds  o    an  lira- 
rile  found  on  Beaver  creek;  and  a  large  specimen  turn.hed 
bv  Mr    Jacob  Thomas,  of  Beaver  Meadovv,  was  exh.  nted 
sliowin-  the  truncated  borders  along  the  lines  ot  s.jpara  ion 
i     a     ery  remarkable  manner,  and  also  <Usplaying  beaut  lul 
ridesc'ent  colors.     It  was  remarked  that  coal  a  lecling  this 
form  is  frequently  found  to  leave  a  considerable  portion  of 
Z^.  of  iroi  among  its  earthy  residue ;  but^  ^^J^ 
of  the  latter  was  not  usually  a  large  per  cen  age  ol  the  coal 
'»    The  next  delinite  form  mentioned  as  allected  by  coal,  is 
a  rmtlnUd  structure,  well  characterized  in  sevcra    spectinens 
^Z      e    M  bed,  from  the  bottom  of  the  tbrmat  ion  at  l^ar- 
gm"  r)a,uphin  .M,un:v,  l»a.     This  structure  was    ikewise   llus. 
^    ted       a  sample  of  Welsh  bituminous  coal.     The  rad.a  ions 
L;  era   V  proceed  from  two  points  at  no  great  distance  Irom 
each  «  her  and  forming  two  sections  of  conical  surlace,  unite 
Sce.^  in  distances  iVoin  their  poinis  of  departxire  into  a^i^ 
g  e  cvlindrical  se<i ion  near  the  termination  o   the  ra>  s.     1  he 
cxtcM-i      of  these  radii  is  of  a  silky  lustre,  striated,  and  some- 
times   nterrupted  by  the  interposition  of  fragments  o>  organic 
te^Un"i^r  state  of  Ibssil  charcoal.     V.M-y  hirge  stems  are 
occ-  sionam-  foun.l  wih  radiated,  crystalloidanthracie  adher- 

Tng  to  t^^  '>l>F-i'«  ^^-^^  ^'^^'"'^  "^^^^"  ''''"^  ^""  •'  ^" 
*hp  two  sides  very  nearlv  the  same.  , 

3.  The   hombic  hexaedron  was  exhibited  iu  a  well  .narked 
spedmen  of  anthracite  adherin-  to  its  acco.npanymg  ^Ute. 


II 


!ll!|^  11 


III  HI' 


I    I 


150 
Fexv  mineral  forms  are  better  ilcCmoA  than  this  mnss  of  an- 

tain! vtds'nL'  iVom  t!.c  presence  ol'  orgauic  boches,  tcuamg  to 

inclillereut  directions  on  tlu^  ad.iuinm-  Mde^^^.l^  *^y''   '7.  '» 

luch'fouwh™!  been  «,pi.osoa  to  "'"V"''"*'''""'"""'  "Sa- 
lable o'i„  of  coal,  and  stat«l  that   i..   H.c  'ory  samples 
!u    er"^aminationwe,■cseen  ll,e  .mist  incontnn-e.-ul.le  .  v  • 
J       Lo-  he  source  from  which  nol  ouly bituminous  coal, but 
amh  a        als"  la    b'n  dc,-ivc.l.     In  one  and  the  saute  s,^- 
etaenrf  the  latter,  wefe  «ecn  tuinetal  f  >;;;•«-;-';■,    t' 
and  true  anthracite,  ind,cat,t,K  '«,"''',''      h;V«   two  had 
.,f -,11  as  the  Diocess  of  lorinal ion, by  whnh  llie   ast  t""  i^'» 
probably  bee,',  derived  Iron,  the  interu>e.ha,c  state  ol  btlu- 

"'t;rccr,'ti„g  for  ,he  supposed  i-l--''»;'>; »[ ^^'f^^d^ 
Bti-uetures  being  formed  out  of  oigaiuc  matter,  he  "b«"^<» 

^cC^nl  decomposition  of  the  latter,  and    he  cstal)       - 
mentor  new  orders  oV  uliinity  bel^veen  the  or.guial  cons  ilu- 
!,fnm"      The  carbon  as  well  as  the  other  materials  «f 
ve  jSwas  tn^         process  reduced,  at  least  in  part  to  the 
Situ  o? ulti^te  Llecules,  instead  oH-j^ -^l^-- 
chanicallv  divided  into  small  particles.     It  would  "?  ^«  «j^^ 
t:^:^e  of  obeying  any  law  *>^ -cement  wh.l^ev^^^ 
mvn  'illinities  or  those  of  the  earthy  conj^tiliicntj,  \Ui»cn  aau 
^merc     ; no  the  composition  of  the  vegetables  irom  wlncl     t 
had  been  derived,  mi-ht  tend  to  impress.     Ihat  it  ih  tie 
Jarthvolstuents  which  determine  the  forms  assumed  bj 
^^l  seems  pmbablc  from  the  fact  that  the  more  earthy  resi- 
duum 0^  a  jxirticular  kind  any  coal  contu  ns  the  mor«  prone 
doesit  appear  to  be  to  assume  a  crystalloid  structure. 


151 


lo    in  lliis  connexion,  to  those   cu1)ie, 

'.      _» .-,  ..riiir.^  oi'tnn  occur  in   both 

liiently 


structures  which  often  occur  i 
nous  coal,  nnd  which  not  unlVec 

llv  nflor  partial  incinera'ion,  tlic 
llie  cartliy  ini^riulients 


Referrnrc  \v:is  mac 
rhomhie  find  coUnnnar 
anthracite  and  hitumi 
exhibit  lo  the  eye,  especu 

^^tnl:  'or  analyses  or  ,J.  a^^  ;;    -^.  ^n^;^^^ 
'''";"''|.;?n  ;;;       v'         .  ;  a     o;„:;,.l,ona.es, um^ss  whe.e  the 

!^f,^  "ron  covcrin"  the  h.tcrsliecs  of  .>ut,-r«p  coal,  and  lonn- 
oiten  seen  «"'."'"';''.„„,  „.,,i,,ii  proeeed  IVom  enal  seams, 
Z  oo'a  in  ■;;,  '  n     n,   ;;:  n-laning  ,'he  fonn  in„„.esse.d  hy  ,  c 

interstices  or  those  oi   the   un(Uii\m„  i 

crystallized  sulphate  or  carbonate  o    hmcj,  ^^.^^ 

m  aecoumui     ..  nnalo-ious  variety  ui  rej>ard 

?ro,hn  Lne '      •  t  «    "<-.ol'  Hn-,  for  e.a.nple.  which 

as  ilw^ru,:.' vn  I'o  mine,aU,gis,s,.akes  on  a  great  uu.nber  ol 

^'t;;;::;,lt'™o"-"  Professor  Johnson  n.ade  soine  remarfe  on 
the  "an ',"1"  of  Anlhraeitc  lVo„>  llhodo  Island,  .h,s  even.ng 

'■'■nnrille  Ibmmt'iol."^.  whieh  they  oecnr,  reposes  on  a  coarse 
eon  hi'::!::  which  r,.s,s  inn,..dia,e,v.m«r^ 

blen.hM-ocks,.r,,hepri,n,nvese™.s^^^^h^ 

igneous  roc1<s  "PP^'^"' '°.   ;  ;,;,J',  "'  he  ,„.esen   oharacierof 

vcsti'-cs  of  vohililc  matter, deeoniposed  the  ^"'l"  "  "  '  °'^ 
r„d  changed  the  color  o^;,-  ^  -  ^  -"-li, ' ^ 'TnTest 
ca^t  .ta  g'::;  e2.'::.t^WitcScd.  .lud  th«  traces  of  them 


■•IP" 


;:jj.-rjt  -x-ab^  --^  , 


til 


1 


o3 


only  appear  at  the  surfaces  of  deposition.  In  other  hf»d««,  the 
impressions  nr«  more  perfect,  and  their  genera  and  spfcies 
are  more  readily  mad*.'  out. 

An  idea  has  hocn  formerly  cnrrenf,  that  the  coal  formation 
of  Hhode  Island  and  Massachusetts  is  of  more  aucirnt  date 
than  those  of  Pennsylvania;  hut  the  identity  of  fossil  re- 
mains!, seems  to  determine  tho  jj:eological  period  of  hoth 
to  be  the  .same.  And  in  this  resj)(>ct  we  have  analo<;ics 
snfliciently  numerous  in  our  own  country,  to  iuduce  us  to 
believe  that  all  the  coal  formations  arc  essentially  contempo- 
raneous, and  that  whether  they  rest  on  granite,  as  in  Uhode 
Island,  Massachusetts,  and  Virginia,  on  the  older  members  of 
the  secondary,  as  in  the  anthracite  fu'lds  of  Pennsylvania,  or 
on  the  mountain  or  the  "clilF"  limestone  of  the  Western  States, 
the  coal  series  has  every  where  been  the  product  of  a  period 
in  the  history  of  our  planet  which  was  highly  prolific  in  vege- 
table life,  of  which  the  remains  were  deposited  on  whatever 
member  of  proceeding  formations  was  exposed  in  a  condition 
to  receive  them. 

The  anthracite  of  Khode  Island  appears  to  have  been  sub- 
jected not  only  to  a  high  temperature,  but  also  to  intense 
pressure,  and  to  have  !)eeu  much  comminuted  by  the  friclion 
of  one  member  of  the  formation  sliding  over  another  in  the 
nptilling  which  the  strata  have  evidently  undergone.  The 
coal  in  ail  such  cases  being  more  tender  and  friable  than  the 
sandstones,  slates  and  limeslones,  becomes  the  unguent  in  the 
joints  of  the  stratification,  and  the  results  of  its  j)o\ver  to  fa- 
cililate  the  motions  of  the  strata  as  they  are  partially  folded 
up,  is,  1st,  a  pulverulent  portion  in  contact  with  either  the  top 
or  the  bottom  rock  of  the  bed ;  2d,  a  high  polish  imparted  to 
some  of  the  sliding  surfaces  of  the  nmre  durable  coal ;  Hi],  an 
irregularity  in  the  thickness  of  the  coal  beds,  the  indentations 
of  the  upper  and  lower  rocks  being  not  untVequcntly  found 
opposite  to  each  other,  forming  thick  places  in  the  coal  seam, 
and  containing  much  of  the  broken  material  which  has  been 
displaced  from  the  parts  where  the  prominences  of  the  rocks 
come  nearly  in  contact,  and  almost  shut  up  the  seam. 

He  adverted  to  the  fact  that  for  reasons  stated  by  the 
geologists  of  Rhode  Island  and  Massachusetts,  viz.  the  great 
amount  of  drift  or  diluvial  matter  with  which  all  parts 
of  this  coa!  Ibrmation  have  been  covered  over,  the  limits  of 
the  coal  trough  have  not  hitherto  been  traced  with  mucli  pre- 
cision. 

Within  the  city  of  Providence,  the  strike  of  the  beds 
is  a  little  to  the  cast  of  south,  and  the  dip  to  the  north 


11  i 


153 

of  cast.  The  mining  operations  are  in  j^cnera!  very  troub It- 
some  ami  exprnsive,  on  account  of  being  canit'il  on  below 
water  level,  and  Jhroiigli  a  thick  stratum  of  loose  earth  and 
gravel.  Very  little  of  the  coal  hitherto  obtained  has  been  of 
merchantable  quality. 


ON   TilC   RELATION    nETVVCRN   Tliti  COAI.  OF  SOtJTil  WALES  AND  SOMG 
I'BNNSVLVANIA   ANTHaAClTBS. 

{From  the  Pfoctfdinga  of  the  Academy  of  Natural  Sciences,  Vol,  1,  p.  40.) 

Havin*?  received  some  time  since  a  numlier  of  samples  of 
the  coals  used  by  Mr,  Crane  at  the  Ynisccdwyn  iron  works 
in  South  Wales,  some  pains  have  been  taken  to  trace  the  re« 
lation  of  that  mineral  to  some  of  the  many  varieties  of  an- 
thracite found  in  Pennsylvania.  It  was  the  first  step  in  this 
inquiry  to  mark  the  relation  by  external  characters.  These 
in  the  Welsh  coal  are,  1st.  A  structure  often  lamellated,  and 
tending  to  separate  on  the  surfaces  of  deposition,  owing  to  the 
quantity  of  carbonaceous  clod  which  occupies  the  dull  seams 
between  the  bright  plies  of  coal. 

2d.  The  a!)undance  and  width  of  the  reeds  constituting  the 
charcoal  deposits. 

3d,  The  shining  and  polished  surfaces  occasionally  present- 
ing themselves  to  view  at  some  of  the  natural  partings.   * 

4th,  The  purplish  tints  of  metallic  oxide  often  observable 
on  the  surfaces  of  fracture, 

Tjth.  The  general  color  is  deep  black,  and  either  dull  or 
shining  according  as  the  ply  which  is  examintsd  belongs  to  the 
coal  proper,  or  to  the  carbonaceous  clod  partings  of  the  seams. 

The  next  circumstance  worthy  of  attention  in  tracing  the 
relation  of  coals,  is  their  specific  gravity ;  and  this  in  the 
Welsh  anthracite  is  from  l.JJ.'JG  to  1.37;? — not  greater  than 
that  of  many  bituminous  coals. 

The  next  point  of  comparison  is  the  quantity  of  volatile 
matter,  and  this  by  the  mean  of  two  trials  is  9.18  per  cent. ; 
that  on  the  anthracite  containing  most  clod  is  10,7,  and  that 
of  the  more  compact  variety  is  7.(5()  per  cent, 

Mr.  Mushet  makes  it  from  <).(>()  to  7,70  in  the  coals  of  the 
same  locality.  Mr.  Frazer  analyzed  a  sample  of  the  same 
coal,  and  found  7.G0  of  volatile  matter,  8G.0  of  carbon,  and 
5.8  of  ashes. 

The  quantity  of  earthy  matter  in  the  Ynisccdwyn  anthra- 
cite, according  to  the  mean  of  3  analyses  of  Mr.  Mushet,  is 
3.578  per  cent.  Adopting  this  for  the  proportion  in  the  sam- 
11 


I  ! 


n 


■ 


iii 


pic  whkli  yielded  10.7  per  cent,  of  volatik  mnUcr,  we  have 
this  solid  cui!)on— 85.72'4  per  cent,  and  in  the  other  KS.'yfiJ. 

Ainoufi  IVnnsylvania  anthracite's  that  which  approache*» 
most  lu'.'irly  to  the  Vnisccdwyij  coal,  is  that  of  Lyken*» 
Valley,  situated  in  the  northwestern  fori*  of  the  southern 
anthracite  field.  This  coal  has  nil  the  exterior  cliaraeters 
ot  the  Welsh  aiithraeite ;  containing  in  many  samples  a 
large  portion  of  carhonaceous  clod,  with  well  marked  ve- 
getahle  impressions;  and  in  color,  structure,  and  varieties 
of  surface,  the  two  coals  might  readily  he  taken  the  one  for 
the  otiier.  Of  nine  samples  analyzed,  the  lowest  specific  grav- 
ity was  found  to  be  1.374,  the  highest  1.41G,  and  the  mean 
1.390.  The  average  amount  of  volatile  matter  was  found 
to  be  N.O(57,  the  highest  being  U.Soi  per  cent.;  the  moan  pro- 
portion of  earthy  matter  and  metallic  oxides  is  4.40 ;  and  that 
of  the  fixed  carbon  87.472  per  cent. 

From  these  data  ars  derived  the  following  comparisons. 

Sp.  Gr.     Vol.  mnl.      Cnrbor..  Ashea- 

Ynisoedwyn, lighter  varietv,  l.33(i       10.7         85.922      3.r>78 

Do.         heavier,  '    1.372        7.66      88.702      3578 


0.18       87.242 

8.007     87.472 


3.579 

4.4GO 


Mean  of  two,  .       r*       1 .354 

Ly ten's  Valley.      .  1.390 

In  distilling  the  Welsh  anthracite,  the  first  portion  of  gas 
v/hich  comes  over,  burns  with  a  pale  blue  llame,  like  that  of 
carbonic  oxide,  which  is  succeeded  at  a  certain  point  of  tem- 
perature by  a  sudden  outburst  of  carburetted  hydrogen,  burn- 
ing with  a' bright  fiame  and  smoke,  a  «iuantity  of  bituminous 
matter  being  at  the  same  time  evolved,  sutlicient  in  one  in- 
stance to  close  up  the  narrow  beak  of  the  retort  employed  in 
the  distillation.  The  coke  is  perfectly  anthracitous,  and  the 
angles  of  the  fragments  entirely  sharp  and  well  defined. 

The  gaseous  matter  of  the  Lyken'-i  Valley  anthracite  also 
burns  with  a  brilliant  flame,  but  no  violent  explosive  devel- 
opment of  it  was  remarked. 

AN.%LY«tE8  OF  AMESICAN  AND   FOREIGN  rJOALS. 

On  the  Slhof  March,  1842,  the  writer  communicated  to  the 
Academy  of  Natural  Sciences  the  results  of  a  .series  of  expe- 
riments on  American  and  foreign  coals,  exhibiting  the  residue 
of  each  on  which  he  had  experimented,  with  u  view  of  ascer- 
taining the  relative  proportions*  of  volatile  matter,  earthy 


lAft 


matter*  and  fixed  cnrhon.  Th«  experiments  were  performed 
on  all  in  a  similar  mrtnner,  viz.  by  expasinjj  the  coal  to  a  red 
heat,  raised  as  rapidly  as  possible.  As  the  moisture,  however, 
is  in  «uch  casen  brouj^hr,  in  eontact  with  earbon  at  a  hij!;h 
temperatitre,  it  may,  by  decomposition,  canse  8ome  of  the 
carbon  to  he  carried  off,  :ind  thus  raise  the  estimate  of  the 
volatile  matter  above  what  it  would  be,  if  more  slowly  eon- 
duetcd.  Incineration  was  conducted  in  a  muiUc,  at  a  high 
and  lonj;  continued  temperature. 

The  following  arc  the  results  of  the  analysts  of  some  of  these 
coals : 


Vol.  mstur.    Aohes, 

Newcastle  coal,  per  cent.     -    iit>.0  «.  4 1 

»Sy<lncy,        -        -        -        -     43..'i  1.50 

Liverpool,              ...    37.9  o.7'4 

Statlbrdshirc,        -         .         -    47,5  I.8G 

Welsh,  anthracite,        •        •      4,4  4.10 

Pictou,          ....     30.7  8.00 

Uichmond,   -        -        -        -     1,5.1  24.74 

Do,        (another  sample,)       17.3  17.08 

Rhode  Isliind,  anthracite       -     13.1  11.2(1 

Kallstowu,  (Heaver  river,)  Pa.,  35.8  6.43 

Beaver  Meiidow,(spheroid  coal,)  t).0  5.G0 

Shamokin,  anthracite,           -      J).l  5.84 

Wilkesbarre,      do.        -         -      8.9  1  !.(>(» 

Beaver  Meadow,  (Piatt  tract,)     7.»  COO 


Fixeii  fo  »ol. 

Carboa.  combua'c. 


70.5ti 
55.00 
til. .38 
50.04 
DI.50 
61.30 
60.16 
6,5.02 

7;,.-  ; 

57.70 
8.5..50 
85.06 
70.74 
86.10 


2.13 
1.26 
1.62 
1.06 
20.80 
1.99 
3.98 
3.79 
ft.77 
1.61 
9.50 
0.34 
8.96 
10.9 


Si 


i\ 


ANALYSIS  OF  THE  NATURAL  COKB  OF  VIRGINIA. 

From  the  Procexdingt  nf  the  Academy  Natural  Saeifty,  tot.  1,  p.  223. 

Prof.  Johnson  mentioned  that  he  had  made  trials  to  deter- 
mine the  volatile  and  earthy  ingredients  of  the  so-called  na- 
tural coke  from  Virginia,  of  which  samples  were  exhibited  at 
a  preceding  meeting  of  the  Academy.  This  substance  pre- 
sents in  its  exterior  appearance  a  strong  contrast  with  all 
known  varieties  of  either  anthracite  or  bituminous  coal.  It 
is  wholly  wanting  in  lustre.  It  has  lost,  if  it  ever  possessed, 
all  continuous  .slines  or  cleats,  and  even  the  surfaces  of  depo- 
sition  appear  to  be  in  a  great  degree  obliterated.  Its  texture 
is  porous.  It  is  in  very  many,  if  not  all,  specimens,  .strongly 
charged  with  iron  pyrites,  which,  by  exposure  to  the  air, 
elHorescing  into  sulphate  of  iron,  gives  the  appearance  of 
friability  to  the  material,  and  by  this  means  distinguish  it 
clearly  horn  anthracite. 


Ih 


i 
1 

- 

i 

1 
) 

\ 

; 

Two  samples  of  this  conibuslil)le  were  tried  for  the  jjiirpose 
of  useerljiiiiiiip:  the  amount  of  earthy  matter,  volatile  matter, 
and  fixed  carbon.     The  lirst  gave  of 


Volatile  matter, 
Carbon,  - 
Earthy  matter, 


Per  cent. 
il.Ui 

77.80 
1().{)8 

100. 


The  second,  which  iippearcd  lo  be  rather  more  highly^ 
charged  with  pyrites  than  the  other,  gave,  by  the  mean  of 
four  separate  incinerations,  of 


Volatile  matter. 
Earl  lily  matter, 
Fixed  Carbon, 


Per  cent. 
lt.H-2 

8'^>.75 

100. 


The  distillation  of  this  substance  l)y  the  Ip.imediate  applica- 
tion of  a  red  heat,  produces  a  gas  which  burns  with  a  steady 
clear  (lame,  of  a  yellowish  white  color,  accompanied  by  a  little 
smoke,  which,  however,  nearly  or  (luile  disiippears  when  the 
access  of  air  is  free  and  abundant. 

The  distiUation  produces  no  enlargement  of  volume  or 
adhesion  of  th(>  particles  of  earbonaceous  matter,  as  in  cer- 
tain semi-bifuminous  or  "transition"  eoais,  such  as  that  Ibund 
on  Stony  GrecU,  in  I)au])hin  county,  Pennsylvania. 

In  regard  to  the  applicability  of'the  term  "natural  coke"  to 
this  sul)sfance,  it  was  remark(>d,  that,  understanding  lliis  term 
as  indicating  a  change  of  texture  from  that  of  the  bituminous 
coal  of  the  same  district,  a  partial  discharge  of  the  volatile 
ingredients  of  the  same  coal,  and  as  a  necessary  consequence,^ 
a  relative  augmentation  of  the  earthy  material  as  well  as  of 
the  fixed  carbon,  there  is  no  impropriety  in  its  use,  but,  on  the 
contrary,  a  peculiar  propriety,  inasmuch  as  neither  of  the 
other  terms  in  general  use  to  designate  mineral  fuel  is  appli- 
cable to  this  variety.  lie  referred  to  the  geological  report  of 
the  State  of  Virginia,  in  which  an  analysis  of  this  substance 
is  given,  exhibiting  its  composition  as  follows,  viz: 


Volatile  matter, 
Fixed  Carbon, 
Ashes.     - 


9.98 

8f»..S0 

U.72 


157 


COAT,    FROM    TIIR    VAI.I.RY    OV    ItA/.ET-    ('RF,nK,    i'A. 

The  foUowiiij;  unrilyscs  from  the  VjiUey  of  Ila/.lo  Civrk, 
were  published  in  \\iv.  .loiinial  of  ihc  FniiiUliii  Institute,  Vol. 
yi,  ])i\iH'  Hi,  I'oi-  Aiij^aist,  1h:}«>  : 

i\o.  I  is  compact  in  struct  lire,  j^ivinj*  eonchoi(hil  fractures 
in  all  (lirciclions,  !ip|)ar('ntly  indilicrcnt  to  the  surfaces  of  dc- 
posiiioM,  which  are  manifested  only  hy  alternatinj;  lines  or 
seams  ol"  hlueish  hlacU  and  jei  hlacU,  which  mark  the  succes- 
sive layers.  This  appearance  f^ives  the  idea  that  these  sur- 
faces have  been  in  a  fjreat  measure  obliterated,  while  the 
whole  mnss  was,  from  some  cause,  in  a  somi-tluid  state.  The 
specilic  <;ravity  of  this  spe(;lme!i  is  1. ;")<,)!. 

When  heated  to  a  temperature  suilicient  tt  jxpel  the  water 
which  it  contains,  without  dec(.vmposin<^  it. 

The  specimen  No.  1  lost        -        ...        - 

When  the  dried  coal  is  ij,Miited  to  redness  for  some 

time  in  a  close  vessel,  it  yields  carbonic  oxide  and 

earburctted  hydrogen,  with  a  small  portion  of 

sulphur,    .-.----- 

The  remaining  (ixed  carbon  is       -         -        -        - 

''Silica, 
Alumina, 
P(!roxide  of  iron,  - 
Earthy  matter  4.83  per  ct.  viz.  <^  Lime,  - 

Magnesia,     - 
Protoxide  of  mtin- 
[^     ganese,     - 


Per  cent. 
1.U15 


5.008 

88.187 

i>.58n 

1.772 

.270 

.1.S8 

.052 

.009 

100. 


From  the  latter  numliers  it  will  be  perceived  that  of  the 
fixed  ingredients  or  ashes  of  this  coal,  100  parts  will  be  com- 
posed of 

Silica,  -         -     53.603 

Alumina,  -  -  36.087 
Perox.  of  iron,  -  5.500 
Lime,  -  -  -  2.8.57 
Magnesia,  -  -  1.076 
Prot.  manganese,        0.186 

The  ashes  of  this  coal  are  of  a  yellowish  white  or  very  light 
buff  color,  and  very  bulky.  Exclusive  of  moisture,  the  fixed 
is  to  the  volatile  combustible  matter  as  17.4  to  1. 

Specimen  No.  2  has  a  specific  gravity  of  1.5  <  4.  The  color 
and  other  external  characters  of  this  coal  are  similar  to  those 


fII  I 


:!,! 


i 

1.. 

\  '^''^ 

ill 

158 

of  No.  1,  but  it  was  remarked  that  the  surfaces  of  deposition 
are  even  more  completely  oblitei'ated  than  in  that  specimen  ; 
and  that  in  the  direction  of  those  surfaces,  no  even  faces  could 
be  procured  in  fracturing?  the  coal ;  while  in  planes  at  right 
angles  to  those  surfaces,  it  h;is  a  "grain"  or  "sl'ne"  represented 
b)  exceedingly  thin  plat  es  of  white  earthy  matter,  along  which 
fractures  frequently  occur. 


By  heating  to  a  temperature  of  370°  Fahrenheit 
this  coal  loses    ---»-.- 
By  heating  to  whiteness  in  a  close  vessel,  it  gives 
ofcarhonic  oxide  and  a  littlecarburetted  hydrogen 
The  ( arbon  not  capable  of  being  volatized  by  sim- 
ple heat,  is         ------- 

Its  earthy  impurities,  including  oxides,  amount  to 
8.73  per  ct.  viz:  Silica, 

Alumina, 
Peroxide  of  iron,  - 
Lime,  -         -         - 
Magnesia,    - 
Loss,   -         -         - 


Per  cent. 

2.196 

3.1(55 

85.009 

3.938 

3.230 

1.135 

.120 

.120 

.015 

100.000 


The  proportions  of  the  several  ingredients  of  the  ashes  of 
this  coal  are  somewhat  dilferent  Irom    Lose  of  No.  1. 


Thus  the  Silica  is 

- 

- 

4.5.105 

per  cent. 

Alumina, 

- 

- 

37.000 

Peroxide  of  iron. 

- 

- 

13.000 

L\w,     - 

- 

- 

1.380 

Magnesia, 

- 

- 

2.130 

Loss, 

- 

- 

1.085 

100.000 
The  fixed  to  volatile  combustible,  27.1  to  1. 

The  ashes  are  nearly  white,  or  A\'ith  a  very  slight  tinge  only 
of  red,  and  are  distinguished  from  those  of  No.  1  by  a.  far 
greater  dcnsi'i/,  being  under  a  given  bulk  al)out  two  and  a 
half  times  as  heavy  as  the  latter.  A  larger  portion  of  oxide 
of  iron  and  of  manganese  will  be  observed  in  the  second  than 
in  the  first  analysis. 

Specimen  No.  3  was  taken  from  the  same  bed  as  No.  2,  and 
was  found  to  have  a  specific  gravity"  of  1.55.  The  color  of 
this  cnal  is  a  deep  and  nearly  uniform  black — shining.  Frac- 
tUi.   u-regular,  splintery. 


' 


eposition 
lecimen ; 
zes  could 
at  right 
)resented 
iig  which 

Per  cent. 

2.196 

3.165 

85.909 

3.938 
3.230 
1.135 

.120 

.120 

.015 

00.000 

ashes  of 

1. 

per  cent. 

<( 

« 


inge  onl}^ 
l)y  a  far 
Ao  and  a 
of  oxide 
Olid  than 


^o. 


and 
color  of 
.     Frac- 


Per  cent. 

2.250 

4.625 

90.705 

1.071 

.965 

.135 

.141 

.073 

• 

The  water  in  this  coal  was  found  to  be 
Loss  by  heating  for  some  time  to  whiteness,  gas 
burning  with  bluish  white  light  -         -         - 

Carbon  not  volatile  at  white  heat,         *         *        " 
Earthy  ingredients  2.242  per  ct.  composed  of 

Silica, 

Alumina,  -        -        .        - 

Peroxide  of  iron,        ... 

Lime, 

Magnesia,  -         .         -        - 

Oxide  of  manganese,  trace, 

99.965 
Fixed  to  volatile  combustilde,  as  19.61  to  1. 
It  appears  therefore  that  this  is  considerably  richer  in  car- 
bon than  eilher  of  the  other  specimens,  and  that  its  earthy 
residuum  is  but  little  more  than  one  fourth  as  great  as  that 
of  No.  2. 

Th.   proportion  of  the  several  ingredients  of  the   ashes,  it 
will  be  observed,  is       Silica,         ,         .         -         -     43  68 

Alumina,  .  -  -  -  39.34 
Peroxide  of  iron,  -  -  8.22 
Lime,  ....  5.76 
Magnesia,  .         .         -       3.00 

100.00 
This  specimen  has,  therefore,  both  in  the  amount  of  its  fixed 
carbon  and  in  the  small  proportion  of  its  earthy  residuum,  a 
considerable  advantage  over  either  of  the  ^  .eceding.  Its 
specific  gravity  is  also  the  lowest  of  the  three.  The  density 
of  its  ashes  is  "intermediate  between  that  of  1  and  2,  being  ex- 
actly three-fourths  as  great  as  the  latter,  so  that  the  density 
of  the  residiuim  of  No.  1  is  represented  by  -  8 
That  of  No.  2  by  -         -         -     15 

That  of  No.  3  by  ...     20 

By  an  average  of  the  three  analyses  above  given,  it  will  be 
seeii  that  the  proportion  of  water  in  this  coal,  is  2.120  per  cent. 
The  other  volatile  ingredients  are       -         -       4.286 
The  earthy  matter,  oxides,  &c.  -         -         -       5.263        ^' 
Carbon,    ■-.-----     88.331 

100. 
and  the  mean  ratio  of  fixed  to  volatile  combustible,  20.60  to  I. 
Hence  the  coiiibnstil)lc  matter,  including  the  gaseous  and 
solid  materials  amounts  to  92.552  per  cent. 


I   1 


n 


I     i 


160 

In  concIu$»ion,  I  may  observe,  that  while  these  analyses  do- 
monstrate  the  high  density  and  compactness  of  this  coal,  rifting 
it  for  the  purposes  of  steam  navi^'ation,  for  which  these  qual- 
ities, combined  with  great  Iteating  power,  are  of  primary  im- 
portance, they  also  show  that,  for  the  various  nr(s,  and  for 
domestic  consumption,  its  properties  are  calculated  to  sustain 
the  high  character  of  the  central  coal-tielii  of  Pennsylvania, 
for  the  concentrated  and  durable  heat  which  it  furnishes,  and 
the  absence  of  those  ingredients  which  might  inturl'ere  with 
its  useful  application. 

COALS   OF   BRADFOiin  COlNTV,   PA. 

The  coal-field  of  Carbon  Creek,  Bradford  County,  Pa.,  ten 
miles  from  Towanda,  was  examined  by  the  author  of  these 
pages,  in  1839,  and  the  following  analyses  given : 


in 

LoCAtlTV. 

•2     IS 

.S      CI        1  1= 

>    ."•      '  *   , 
E   ,'^*       ^  ti 

^  l«      s;^ 

i.  '1 "  §  ■- 

I  5l!  1.3    45 
1.45    1.9  1  0.2 
1.4(i    1.2    5  7 
1.38   2.5'  3  0 

1.38  1.0    3  5 
1.35    1.3  i  ti.5 

1.39  O.G     2.8 
1.4U   2.1  

a 

to 

1 

a 
» 

92 
9  3 
12.2 
15.(1 
14.7 
115 
15.4 
JG.8 

1 

P. 

U 

Earthy  motfer. 

1 
7  a 

1 
s 

Fall  Creek 

Fall  Creek 

f!2.{i 
7(1.0 
(i3.!) 
(18. 1 
fi5.5 
74.9 

m.i 

68.5 

22.4 
1  *T  r.  1 

4  Jfi 

3 

4 
5 
6 

7 

Fall  Creek 

Miller's  opening,  middk'  ply,  old  <tri(t... 

Miller's  opening',  v-pper  ply,  old  drill 

Do.         «lo.             do.          do 

Mason's  bed,  middle  ply ,.. 

17.0  ,3.34 
11.5    .J. 32 
15.3     3.48 
5.73  3.88 
13  1     3.85 
12.53:3.63 
1 

^ 

Mason's  bed,  lower  ply 

In  all  the  above  analyses  except  the  last,  the  weight  of  con- 
densible  vapours,  produced  by  heating  to  rednei^s,  is  deter- 
mined .separately  ivoin  that  hygronictric  moi.sture  which  is 
expelled  a  little  above  the  boiling  point. 

It  may  be  observed  that  the  ratio  of  fixed  to  volatile  com- 
bustible matter  in  this  coal  is  on  an  average  a.71.  This, 
as  seen  at  p.  9G,  places  the  Towatida  coal  in  range  with 
those  of  Cambria  County  and  Queen's  Run,  (Clinton  County,) 
Pa.;  and  the  evaporative  power  may  therefore  be  sujiposed  to 
range  between  9.21  and  10.27.  la  the  British  series,  (j).  97,) 
it  might  possibly  take  rank  ^ith  Ebbw  A'ale  coal,  which 
would  make  the  evaporative  ;  wer  10.21.  But  this  could 
hardly  be  expected,  since  the  e'a.thy  matter  of  the  Towanda 
coal  is  13.77  per  cent.,  while  thai  of  Ebbw  Vale  coal  is  no 
more  than  1.5  per  cent,  (vide  ante,  p.  77.) 


B.«i 


RECENT  INVESTIGATIOXS 


RELATIVK  TO 


AMERICAN  AND  FOREIGN  COALS. 


a 


t4  16 

4.02 
3:J4 
.-1.32 
3.48 


\ 


\ 


I.---COAL  FIELD  OP  NORTH  CAROLINA. 

That  coal  exists  in  the  interior  of  North  Carolina  has  been 
known  to  a  limited  number  of  persons  for  some  years.  But 
of  the  nature,  extent,  and  exaet  position  of  this  coal,  its  geo- 
logieal  relations,  or  the  roeks  with  which  it  is  associated,  little 
has  hitherto  heen  made  known.  In  October,  1819,  the  writer 
being  on  a  tour  through  the  middle  and  western  parts  of  North 
Carolina,  took  oceasion  to  pay  a  visit  to  the  coal  field  in  ques- 
tion, and,  in  company  with  his  obliging  friend.  Prof,  K. 
i\Iitche1,  of  the  University  of  North  Carolina,  spent  two  or 
three,  days  in  traversing  the  northern  and  western  out  crop  of 
the  basin.  This  basin  lies  partly  in  the  county  of  Chatham, 
and  partly  in  that  of  Moore,  and  is  traversed  longitudinally 
by  the  channel  of  Deep  lliver,  a  branch  of  the  Cape  Fear 
River.  This  coal  Held  consequently  lies  almost  exactly  in 
the  centre  of  the  State,  and  its  norll^eastern  extremity  is  about 
seventy-five  miles  by  the  course  of  the  stream  above  the  town 
of  Fayeiteville,  to  which,  it  is  known,  steamboat  navigation 
reaches  from  the  city  of  Wilmington,  The  Cape  Fear  and 
Deep  Rivers  are  about  to  be  rendered  navigable  by  means  of 
slack  water  pools  and  locks,  for  which  the  surveys  have  al- 
ready extended  to  the  upper  part  of  the  coal  field,  and  con- 
tracts have  been  entercnl  into  for  the  execution  of  the  work. 

The  first  point  at  which  the  coal  measures  were  observed, 
was  near  the  farm  of  Mr.  Ferrish,  situat(>d  at  the  month  of 
Ge()rg(.''s  Creek,  a  tributary  of  Deep  River.  This  is  in  the 
southern  part  of  the  county  of  Chatham,  and,  according  to 
information,  is  not  far  from  the  northeastern  extremity  of  the 
basin.  A  thin  seam  of  coal  is  said  to  have  been  (.bserved  on 
the  souflun-n  side  of  the  river,  about  two  miles  southeastward 
from  Ferrish's  house.     The  rock  which  appears  to  constitute 


il' 


{ 

.1    i' 


ti 


162 


onf!  of  the  lowest,  if  not  the  ver}'  lowest,  membcir  of  tlie  coal 
series,  is  a  reddish  hrown  snndstone,  sometimes  employed  in 
the  eountry  for  !)tnldinj;^  purposes,  at  other  times  for  m.ikiiig 
grindstones.  A  similar  rock  was  noticed  on  the  Kji!eif:h  r«:;ul 
about  thirteen  milts  from  Chnpcl  Mill,  and  iit  other  pl.K-cs, 
where  it  is,  from  point  to  point,  interrupted  hy  <lil<es  of  a  dark 
colored  trap.  At  the  edjtje  of  the  eoal  basin,  this  red  san<lstonc 
seems  to  repose  on  the  ui)turned  edges  of  the  older  slates  be- 
loniLjinf^  to  the  jiold  rej^ion,  but  of  this  faet  1  had  no  opportu- 
nity of  seeing  positive  evidence. 

The  sandstone  in  the  ereek  at  the  rear  of  Ferrish's  liouse, 
dips  southward  in  a  low  angle  not  exceeding  t^.  Tlie  nu're 
edge  of  the  seam,  three  feet  three  inches  thick,  has  been  laid 
bare  in  three  or  four  places  on  the  plantation;  but  nowhere  is 
it  pursued  far  enough  to  deterniine  the  actual  thickness,  when 
found  under  a  sufficient  covering  of  rock,  to  justify  mining 
operations.  The  coal  is  covered  with  a  stratum  of  slate,  and 
over  that  is  another  bed  of  red  satidstone.  The  slate  is  seen 
hi  considerable  thickness  on  the  margin  of  the  river,  a  few 
hundred  yards  south  of  Mr.  Ferrish's  house.  It  appears  to  !)e 
destitute  of  vegetable  impressions,  but  filled  with  minute  bi- 
valve shells,  and  interspersed  with  many  coprolites  of  fishes 
or  reptilia.  In  some  of  the  lamina;  of  the  slate  arc  thin  plates 
of  carbonate  of  lime. 

The  coal  found  at  Ferrislils  has  the  character  of  ouf-crop 
coal,  but  among  the  less  friable  portions  are  some  specimens 
which  may  with  tolerable  correctness  represent  the  genera! 
quality  of  the  seam. 

The  next  point  examined  was  at  ITorton's  Mills,  four  miles 
higher  up  the  river.  The  openings  on  the  seam  are  here  made 
along  the  course  of  a  small  tributary,  a  few  hundred  yards  from 
the  river,  on  its  northern  bank.  The  dip  is  towards  the  S,  13 
W.  and  the  inclination  of  rocks  at  the  mill-race  is  not  more 
than  ten  or  twelve  degrees,  but  on  the  underlying  rocks  in  thfs 
rear  of  the  coal,  it  increases  to  about  thirty  degrees.  Th(^  coal 
is  here  used  by  blacksmiths.  The  thickness  of  the  seam  is 
stated  to  be  fiom  four  to  five  feet. 

Four  miles  still  higher  up  the  river,  a  short  distance  above 
Evans'  Mills,  and  barely  within  the  borders  of  I^Ioore  county, 
the  rocks  were  noticed  dipping  iS.  43  E. 

Two  and  a  half  miles  further  southwestward,  are  the  coal 
openings  on  Wilcox's  land,  the  dip  is  to  S.  45  E.,  and  the  angle 
thirteen  degrees.  From  being  highly  bituminous  at  Ferrish's 
and  semi-bituminous  at  Morton's,  the  coal  at  Wilcox's  is 
wholly  anthiacitic.    The  tiiickness  of  the  beds  appears  not  to 


111! 


168 


have  bpcn  ascert.ained,  as  only  tlic  eds^c  has  been  explored  for 
a  few  rods  ah«ig  the  course  of  a  rivulet  about  half  a  mile 
from  the  river. 

The  coal  measures  continue  two  or  three  niih.'s  further,  to 
the  pliintation  of  Dr.  Chalmers,  (the  Alston  ])lace,  noted  for 
one  of  Faiininj^'s  attacks  during  the  Uevolution,)  near  which 
the  materials  of  the  coal  appear  to  have  passed  even  beyond 
the  anthracitic  state,  and  to  have  been  converted  into  plum- 
bago. This  material  is  used  by  the  inhabitants  for  paint, 
crayons,  pencils,  and  other  purposes  for  which  the  same  sub- 
stance has  been  elsewhere  employed. 

It  is  currently  reported  that  eoal  has  been  found  on  one  of 
the  branches  of  Drowning  Creek,  which  is  the  prinei])al  head 
of  the  Little  Pedee.  If  so,  it  must  be  several  miles  to  the 
soutli  or  sout  hv.''\st  of  the  point  last  designated,  and  very  near 
the  borders  of  the  gold  formation  of  Moore  County.  It  is  a 
fact  worthy  of  notice,  that  the  older  slates  containing  veins 
of  auriferous  ijuartz,  the  gneiss  rocks  which  border  them,  the 
coal  measures  which  overlie  the  latter,  and  the  diluvial  sands 
overlapping  all, come  into  immediate  contiguity  within  the  lim* 
its  of  Mooi-e  County.  In  the  rear  of  Fcrrish's  house  is  a  high 
outlying  mound  of  the  quartzose  pebbles  which,  though  now 
reposing  on  the  rocks  of  the  coal  formation,  appear  to  have 
been  derived  from  the  older  slate  veins  a  short  distance  to  the 
northwest.  We  were  assured  also  that  particles  of  jrold  had 
been  found  among  the  sands  in  the  very  stream,  and  at  the 
spot  where  INIr.  Ferrish  had  found  the  seam  of  coal  above  re- 
ferred to.  Cases  of  the  superposition  of  the  drift-sand  upon 
the  red  sandstones,  apparently  those  of  the  coal  series,  maybe 
observed  in  travelling?  8.  S.  W.  from  Carthage,  towards  the 
Fayetteville  and  Yadkin  road,  where  though  the  general  level 
of  the  road  is  on  the  sandy  beds,  yet  the  denudations  caused 
by  the  streams  have  in  numerous  instances  revealed  the  nearly 
horizontal  older  sandstone  beds  of  t  he  coal  series.  The  coming 
in  contact  of  the  drift  beds  and  the  slates  and  gneissoid 
rocks  may  be  noticed  on  the  Fayetteville  road,  about  5  miles 
above  Chisholm's,  towards  Troy.  The  beds  of  reddish  clay, 
sand,  and  pebbles,  art;  here  seen  distinctly  interstratitied  and  re- 
posing on  the  older  rocks.  From  this  point  westward,  the  peb- 
bles increase  in  size,  and  at  length  become  boulders,  the  quartz 
being  in  some  cases  cemented  into  a  conglomerate  by  clay  and 
oxide  of  iron.  In  one  locality,  about  8  miles  from  Troy,  the 
auriferous  slates  and  quartz  are  seen  on  edge,  overlaid  by 
the  beds  which  has'c  evidently  been  derived  from  the  materials 
of  the  older  series  against  which  ihey  rest.    These  observa- 


il 


if 


iliil^ 


li" 

164 

tions  may  hereafter  be  found  of  some  value  as  indieatiiif:if  the 
possihlr  Vxfensiou  of  the  «'oal  measures  heneatli  the  sandy 
plains  \v}irn>  no  trace  of  thv'w  rocks  is  now  visible,  and  they 
at  least  signify,  that  but  for  the  extensive  (!(>nu(lation  caused 
by  the  Deep  River  and  its  tributaries,  wr  niiuht  still  be  igno- 
rant of  the  exist ence  of  coal  in  the  parts  to  which  we  have 
already  referred. 

An  attentive  comparison  of  tlie  following  analyses,  will 
prove  that  we  liave  here  .-idded  another  to  those  eases  of  coal 
fields  which  contain  in  ditlerent  parts  coals  of  widely  dill'er- 
ing  constitution.  We  had  previously  the  South  Welsh  coal 
field,  the  Lehigh,  Schuylkill,  and  Suscjuehanna  coal  trough, 
(the  most  southern  of  the  Pennsylvania  anthracite  districts,) 
the  Belgium  eoal  field,  and  llie  coal  field  of  Eastern  Vir- 
ginia, which  yields  at  the  northeastern  part  the  Natural  coke, 
(a  species  of  anthracite,)  and  Barr's  Deep  Run  semi-bitumi- 
nous coal,  together  with  the  Mi(Uothian  and  Clover  Hill  coals 
of  high  bituminousness.  Besides  going  through  all  the  gra- 
dations of  coal,  the  North  Carolina  field  evidently  runs  at  both 
extremities  into  plumbago,  associated  with,  and  apparently 
produced  by  the  igneous  rocks  which  have  been  injected  into 
the  coal  series  altering  and  tilting  the  strata,  and  in  many  ca- 
ses disintegrating  the  sandstones  and  other  materials.  A  few 
miles  from  Raleigh,  towards  the  Northeastern  part  »)f  the  coal 
district,  is  found  (he  extensive  bed  of  graphite  which  has  al- 
ready attracted  considerable  attention.  This  is  underlaid  by 
a  sandstone  very  closely  resembling  that  found  beneath  the 
coal  at  Deep  River,  but  giving  signs  of  having  been  subjected 
to  intense  her»t  for  a  long  period,  developing  certain  meta- 
morphic  characters,  such  as  the  partial  coalescing  of  the  in- 
tegrant particles,  as  if  by  incipient  fusion. 

In  18'^4,  in  a  report  to  the  Legislature  of  North  Carolina  on 
the  geology  of  that  State,  Professor  Dennison  Olmstead  des- 
cribes the  formation  containing  the  plumbago,  referring  to  the 
4th  volume  of  Silliman*s  Journal  for  a  more  full  account. 

Of  the  coal  formation,  Prof.  O.  remarks,  *'it  is  fifty  years 
since  the  coal  was  first  <liscovered.  For  some  years  past  the 
mine  has  been  neglected.  The  principal  excavation  is  one 
mile  from  Deep  River.  It  dips  to  the  southeast  in  an  angle 
of  twenty* live  degree.^ — the  thickness  of  the  bed  wheu  cMtircly 
exposed  is  about  one  foot.  The  coal  is  highly  bituiiiinous, 
burns  readily  with  a  bright  flame,  and  is  of  much  the  same 
quality  as  the  Richmond  coal.  With  regard  to  extent,  i  have 
no  certain  information.  On  the  road  from  Salem  to  Fayctte- 
ville  by  the  way  of  Tyson*s  mills,  on  Deep  river,  the  traveller 


m 

crosses  a  number  of  rUl<?es  of  that  sholly  kintl  of  black  slate 
which  is  the  accompaniment  of  t.li<*  coal,. '(nd  may  be  considered 
a  symptom  of  it  wherever  it  occurs.  This,  however,  passes 
unAer  a  soft  red  rock  called  by  jjjeolojijists  slaty  clay,  which 
extends  sf)Uthwards  oward  ^  Mooyc  Court-house,  and  nothing 
is  seen  of  the  slaty  rock  south  of  the  river.'* 

By  comparini,'  this  de     liplion  with  the  fore;,'oing  account 
of  tiic  North  Ciirolina  coal  Held,  it  will  be  observed  that  sub- 
seriuent  examination    have  much  extended  our  knowledge  of 
this  intcrestint;  coal   formation.     Not,  only  the  slati^  hut  the 
coal  has  now  been  discovered  <outhof  the  river,  and  not  only 
these,  but  the  soft  red  rock  overlying'  the  slate  is  seen  several 
miles  on  the  road  from  the  river  towards  Moore  Court-house, 
anil  even  several  miles  further  to  the  south  or  southwest. 
On  the  old  road  towards  Troy,  the  red  sandstone  appears 
wherever  the  denuding  ae  urn  of  the  streams  has  removed  the 
diluvial  white  sands  which,  as  already  noted,  overspread  in 
part  the  very  edges  of  the  coal  lormation.     A  notice  of  this 
sandstone   rendered  highly  probahle   the   account   given   at 
Moore  Court-house,  of  the  reeent  finding  of  coal  on  Drowning 
Creek.     The  edges  of  the  Richmond  coal  lields  are  in  a  simi- 
lar manner  partly  covered  by  the  drift,  and  all  those  of  Rhode 
Island  and  Massachusetts,  as  noticed  on  a  preceding  page. 

The  shells  and  coprolites  found  overlying  the  coal  in  North 
Carolina  very  forcibly  recalled  the  appearnn-e  of  similar  ma- 
terials  in  the  slates  overlying  the  principal  seam  at  Sydney, 
Cape  Breton,  and  at  the  South  .loggin's  shore  on  the  Bay 
of  Fundy.  As  to  the  contemporaneousness  of  the  bitumi- 
nous, semi-bituminous,  and  anthracite  beds  of  North  Caro- 
lina, there  can  no  longer  be  a  doubt ;  nnd  that  the  plumbagi- 
nous mass  at  the  northeastern  prolongation  of  the  coal  forma- 
tion, as  well  as  the  gri»i)hitous  slate  at  the  southwestern  part, 
has  had  a  similar  origin,  appears  equally  certain. 

ANALYSES  Or  DEEP  UIVEU  COALS,  N<1RTll  CAROLINA. 

1.  Ferrish^x  highly  hituminom  coal. 

The  mean  specific  gravity  of  two  specimens  from  this  lo- 
cality was  4. .'J  13. 

It  contained— Volatile  matter,  3-2.H2  per  cent. 
Fixed  carbon,     03.78 
Earthy  matter,    3.10 


100.00 


166 


!      II 


if 


\% 


Hence  the  fixed  is  to  the  volatile  comhustlhic  matter  as  1.04 
to  I.  The  ashes  are  very  h'ght.  and  of  a  yellowish  color  tinged 
with  red,  or  approaching  a  i^almon  color. 

2.  Horton*8  Sfmi-bituminous  coal, 

Spcctfie  gravity  hy  the  mean  of  two  specimens  1.311. 
It  contains  of  Volatile  matter*  23.<»3  per  cent. 

Fixetl  carbon,    72.57       " 

Earthy  matter,    3.80       *• 

100.00 

Fixed  to  volatile  combustible  matter,  as  3.07  to  1.  The 
ashes  arc  heavier  and  of  a  darker  eolor  than  the  preceding^. 
It  wilt  l)e  observed  that  this  sample  shows  28  per  cent,  less 
bituminous  matter  than  Ferrish's, and  contains  1 1.17 percent, 
more  earthy  matter. 

3.  Wikox*s  anthracite. 

The  mean  specific  gravity  of  two  specimens  was  foutid  to 
be  1.540. 

The  Volatile  matter,  r».04  per  cent. 
Fixed  carbon,    83.70       " 
Earthy  matter,    O.fiO      ♦• 

100.00 

The  fixed  to  the  volatile  combustible  is,  consequently,  as 
12.61  to  1.  The  ashes  are  heavier  than  those  of  eilherof  the 
other  specimens.  The  per  centageof  ash  is  exactly  double  of 
that  of  Ilorton'.s  coal.  Its  color  is  a  reddish  gray.  It  wilt  form 
a  portion  of  clinker  when  subjected  to  intense  ignition  ;  but  in 
this  respect  it  is  believed  to  be  on  a  par  with  the  average 
of  Pennsylvania  anthracites. 

4.  Plumbaginous  slate  near  Dr,  Chaf>ncr\  on  Deep  River,  six 
miles  southwest  vf  HortoiCs, 

On  immersing  this  substance  in  water,  it  imbibed  the  liquid 
with  much  rapidity,  giving  out  bubbles  of  air,  and  throwing 
off  scales  of  the  slate  with  great  activity.  It  was  conse- 
quently impracticable  to  get  the  specific  gravity  by  this  means. 
The  porousness  thus  indicated  may  perhaps  be  received  as  an 
evidence  of  the  expulsion  from  it  by  heat  of  what  was  once 
a  part  of  its  constituents. 


The 


\Vhc!n  subjected  to  a  red  heat  without  acccs.«i  of  air, 

it  loses    --------  11.18 

When  incinerated  it  loses  of  fixed  carbon,       •        -  10.35 

And  leaves  of  reddish  grey  ash,      -        -        -        -  78.49 

100.00 
Tlie  ash  when  finely  puUeri zed  gives  a  beautiful  flesh  color, 
whieh  ini;;ht  probably  be  advantageously  employed  as  a  pig- 
ment, as  the  raw  material  itself  is  employed  for  a  black  paint. 

6.  Plumbago  uf  Mr.  R.  Smith\s  wj/nr,  six  miles  from  Ruhigh, 

This  plumbago  has  a  specific  gravity  of  2.05'^, 
Exposed  to  red  heat  without  access  of  air,  it  loses  -  0.40 
After  long  incineration  leaves  of  a  whitish  ash  -  74.29 
Consequently  the  llxed  carbon  is  only  -  -  -  1(5.25 
The  asli  has  a  silky  lustre,  and  preserves  the  form  of  the 
original  scales  of  graphite.  The  term  plumbaginous  talc, 
might  perhaps  with  propriety  be  applied  to  this  substance. 

II.— ANTHRACITE  OP   RUSSIA. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  National  Institute,  Washington,  March 
1849,  the  writer  exhibited  a  specimen  of  anthracite  from  the 
town  of  Gruschof  ka,  in  the  country  of  the  Don  Cossacks, 
Southern  European  Russia,  and  instituted  a  comparison  be- 
tween it  and  the  anthracite  of  our  own  and  other  countries. 
He  observed  that  it  was  usual  for  anthracite  to  break  with 
as  much  facility  across  the  surfaces  of  deposition  as  in  di- 
rections parallef  to  those  surfaces ;  and  that  when  surfaces 
of  deposition  were  exposed  by  fracture,  they  exhibited  less 
brilliancy  than  the  surfaces  of  fracture  in  other  directions. 
The  reverse  of  this  was  true  of  the  Russian  specimen  exhibited, 
and  the  lustre  of  its  surfaces  of  deposition  was  owing  to  the 
presence  of  innumerable  very  minute  organic  remains  re- 
sembling scales.  In  this  particular,  it  resembles  several  bitu- 
minous  coals  previously  examined,  and  especially  that  found 
near  Greenupsburg,  in  Kentucky,  save  that  in  the  latter  the 
scales  are  without  lustre. 

The  specific  gravity  of  the  Russian  anthracite  is  1.66,  in 
which  property  it  is  surpassed  by  few  of  the  anthracites  of 
Pennsylvania. 

It  gives  by  analysis,  Volatile  matter,       -      7.17  per  cent. 

Fixed  Carbon.  -    91.23       « 

Earthy  matter,        •      1.60      " 

100. 


lit 


168 

Consequently  the  fixed  is  to  the  volatile  combustible  mat* 
ter»  as  I'^.T'i  to  !. 

A  coal  with  thesf^i  properties  must  possess  gr<*at  hi^atingr 
power;  and  will  rank  with  some  of  tlie  best  varieties  of 
Pennsylvania  anthracite. 

III. — KCNIi.WVA  CANNF.L  COAL. 

Coal  below  the  Falls  of  the  Kcnhawa^  Virginitu 

This  eoal  is  exceedingly  compaet  in  texture,  breaks  with 
clear  conchoidal  fractures,  has  a  jet  black  colour,  and  will 
receive  a  beautiful  polish.  It  is  so  clean  as  not  to  soil  while 
muslin  on  being  rubbed,  and  bears  handling  and  transporta- 
tion without  liability  to  disintegrate;  its  specific  gravity  is 
1.27;  healed  rapidly  to  a  bright  red  heat  without  access  of 
air,  it  loses  45.53  per  cent,  of  volatile  matter,  giving  otf  a  gas 
burning  with  brilliant  tlame  and  leaving  a  coke  of  no  greater 
bulk  than  the  coal  which  had  been  used,  but  the  original  form 
of  fragments  is  wholly  lost ;  when  coked  slowly  it  loses  <mly 
41.*2'2  per  cent,  of  volatile  matter,  but  the  form  of  the  pieces 
is  still  as  completely  obliterated  as  before,  .^fter  complete 
incineration  it  leaves  of  greyish  white  rather  dense  ash  ICI.13 
per  cent.  At  a  medium  rate  of  coking,  therefore,  the  compo- 
sition will  be — 

Volatile  matter 4.T37  per  cent. 

Fixed  Carbon 4C..'iO      " 

Earthy  matter 10.13      ** 

100, 
Ratio  of  fixed  to  volatile  combustible,  as  1.07  to  1. 

This  coal  will  produce  its  he.iting  elTects  with  ipreat  rapi- 
dity, and  will  probably  be  found  free  from  clinker. 

A  specimen  of  coal  from  the  Elk  river,  a  tributary  of  the 
Kenhawa,  gave  by  slow  and  rapid  coking  respectively  41.11 
and  43.75  per  cent,  of  volatile  matter. 

It  may  here  be  stated  that  a  great  amount  of  heat  is  evi- 
dently rendered  latent,  when  carburetted  hydrogen  gas  is 
produced  either  from  coal,  rosin,  oil,  or  other  material.  The 
quantify  of  fuel  re([uired  to  heat  gas  retorts,  while  converting 
the  volatile  part  of  the  coal  into  gas,  is,  to  a  certain  extent, 
a  measure  of  the  heat  of  elasticity  of  such  gas. 

The  rapid  absorption  of  heat  while  gas  is  evolved,  is  proved 
by  the  blackness  maintained  by  any  coal  as  long  as  gas 
continues  to  be  produced. 


The  Kenhawa  Cannel  coal  illustrates  this  effect  in  a  man- 
ner BiiUiciently  remarkable,  the  coal  remaining  black  while 
gix'inisj;  otf  the  most  brilliant  tlame  of  gas.  An  analogous  il- 
lustration of  the  effect  mentioned,  is  given  where  liquid  car- 
bonic acid,  generated  under  great  pressure,  (as  in  the  experi- 
ments of  Thillorier,)  is  suddenly  relieved  from  pressure  and 
escaping  into  the  atmosphere,  becomes  in  part  converted  into 
gas  absorbing  so  large  an  amount  of  heat  as  to  translbrm 
another  part  of  the  liquid  acid  into  a  solid  with  an  enormous 
reduction  of  temperature,  (70  or  80  degrees  below  zero.) 


IV.— CANNBL  COAL  PROM    BEAVER,  PA. 

This  coal  presents  only  in  part  the  massiveness  and  the 
smooth  conehoidal  fractures  of  other  cannel  coals.  It  displays 
in  part  the  surfaces  of  deposition  belonging  to  ordinary  bitumi- 
nous coalsj  and  has,  diffused  throughout,  minute  «ilky  vegeta- 
ble impressions.    Its  specific  gravity  is  1.313. 

It  contains  of  Volatile  matter  -  -  -  .  38.25 
Fixed  Carbon  -  •  •  -51.46 
Earthy  matter    -        .        -        -     10.29 

Hence  the  fixed  is  to  the  volatile  combustible  matter,  as 
1.34  to  1.    The  ashes  of  this  coal  are  nearly  white. 

V. — C0A1.8  OF  Lim.E  BANDV   RIVER,  KENTUCKY. 

1.  Ctmh  from  near  Caroline  furmtce,  Greenup  county. 
This  coal  presents  the  following  characters: 

Its  texture  is  close ;  structure  foliated ;  surfaces  of  deposi- 
tion dull,  with  mineral  charcoal,  or  having  a  pitchy  lustre  ; 
fracture  even  }  and  the  main  partings  nearly  at  right  angles 
to  the  surfaces  of  deposition.  It  has  a  specific  gravity  of 
1.304.  Subjected,  by  very  slow  degrees,  to  a  bright  red  heat, 
it  gives  a  copious  development  of  gases,  and  loses— 

Of  Volatile  matter-        ...        -  38.00  per  cent. 
Its  Fixed  Carbon  is         ....  55.61      " 
Earthy  matter 6.39      " 

100. 

The  fixed  to  volatile  combustible  is  1.46  to  i.  The  ashes 
are  moderately  dense,  and  of  a  reddish  gray  colour. 


■lll"llil 


I  I 


i 


lUiii 


•^l 


170 

2.  Another  specimen  of  coal  from  this  locality  gave  specif c 

grarilij,  \:2'^'l. 

Two  trials  of  Vol.-Hilo  matter  gave  a  mean  of  17.1  per  cent. 
Fixed  Carbon    -         -         -         -  4H,8       ^^ 
Earthy  matter  -        -        -     ^-^'^ 

100. 
Conseciuently  the  fixed  was  to  the  voUitile  combustible  as 

1.03  to  1. 

3.  Coal  from  Kcntuchj  furnace,  six  miles  south  of  Greenups- 

burg. 
This  coal  has  the  followinj,^  external  ehnrncters :    Its slruc- 
tureis  foliated  or  slaty.     Its  surfaces  of  deposition  exhibit 
very  abundant  ve<retable  impressions,  and  consequently  but  a 
dull  lustre.     Its  specilic  gravity  is  1.310. 

It  gave  of  Vohitile  matter  by  slow  coking    -         -  .{f^.uo 

Fixed  Ci.rbon •'><;-^;; 

Earthy  matter       -         -        -         -         "     •^•*''^ 

100. 
The  ratio  of  fixed  to  volatile  eombustible,  as  1.49  to  1.     • 
The  earthy  matter  is  of  a  deej)  brown  colour,  and  much 
inclined  to  vi'triilcation  in  clinkering. 

VI.— COM,  OF  MOUNT  CAUDON,  ON  BIG  MUDDY  RIVEP,  JACKPON  (OUNTV, 

luuiNois,  {V.\  miles  hi/  the  route  of  a  proposed  railroad  to  tlic 
Mississippi  river.) 

This  coal  has  the  following  exterior  character.  Its  struc- 
ture is  lamellar;  its  surfaces  of  deposition  are  stongly  mnrked 
with  mineralized  charcoal;  some  of  its  crop  Irneluies  have 
their  laminae  ol"  iron  pyrites  completely  eoatmg  the  foal.— 
The  coal  bears  handling  well,  ami  is  but  little  liable  to  iall 
into  slack.     It  has  a  specilic  gravity  of  1.29.     It  gave  upon 

analysis  of —  .r.  c^-  * 

Volatile  matter  by  rapid  distillation  -         -  40.8;,  per  cent. 


Fixed  Carbon,  two  trials 
Earthy  matter 


55  ^' 


59 
3.5G 


100.00 


Consequently  the  fixed  is  to  the  volatile  combustible  matter 
as  1.30  to  1,  which  brings  it  into  the  class  of  the  Indiaiuiaiul 
Kentucky  coals  already  in  extensive  use  on  the  Ohio  and  INlis- 


m 


sissippi.  The  prcsniipc  of  thv.  sulplmrct  nlrcady  nol  iood  ^j^lvcs 
rise  to  flic  rormalion  of  n  i'<'u  ush,  sonic  porlioii  of  which  will 
at  iiilcMso  iy:iiitioii  I'usc  into  a  dark  coloured  (diiiUcr. 

Professor  IJ.  Sillini;ni,Jr.,  has  given  an  analysis  of  this  coal 
with  the  followinj;  rcsidts: 
Specilic  irriivitv  ...--- 

Volatile  malter  -  -  •  -  30.97 
Fixed  c:;ul)on  -  -  '-  -  r)7,fJ0 
Jiiyrht  white  ash  -         •         -         -  J. 50 


\.n52 


100. 
This  analysis  makes  the  ratio  of  llxed  volatile  eomhustible, 
!.")•>  to  1. 

iMr.  Dnvid  ATii«het,  of  Colesford,  l^iii^Hnnd,  has  also  given 
an  analvsis  as  follows  : 

••Flame,  ^:e,"  (volatile  matter)      -         -     'MVM 

"(Carbon" .'il.fi.'i 

"  \Vhit(>  clayey  ash,"      -         -         -         -       5.r,() 

100. 

It  is  prohablc  llint  in  both  the  two  preceding-  aiinlysos  the 
cokins  was  performed  less  rapidly  than  that  by  which  was 
obtained  40.85  per  cent  of  volatile  malter. 

VII. COAI,  OF  TUrMl!i;i,L  COI.NTV,  OHIO. 

Analysis  ol"  the  coal  from  Brier  Hill,  in  Trumbull  county, 
gave  the  tbllowing  characters  and  composition; 
'^  The  structure  is  foliated,  the  fracture  even,  oblicpic  to  the 
surfaces  of  deposition,  the  lustre  brilliant  to  jiitchy  ;  of  vege- 
table impressions  it  contains  many,  but  they  are  not  well^  de- 
veloped on  account  of  the  uneven" fracture  along  the  surfaces 
of  deposition.  Its  specific  gravity  is  IM'2.  When  coked  very 
moderatelv  at  first,  it  yave  scarcely  any  enlargement  of  the 
original  biilk  of  coal,  though  the  Ibrm  of  the  fragments  was 
totally  lost.     It  gave  a  copious  evolution  of  gas,  and  afforded 

Of  Volatile  matter,         -         -         -     38.18  per  cent. 

Of  Fixed  carbon,  -         -         -         -     fxS.  11 
Earthy  matter  -         -         -       3. 1(5 


it 


101). 


Hence  the  fixed  is  to  the  volatile  combustible  as  l.r)3  to  1. 
The  ashes  are  light,  silicious,  and  of  a  pale  fawn  color.  Ex- 
periments on  a  large  scale  can  alone  ])rove  how  far  the  slight 
proportion  of  waste  in  this  specimen  is  capable  of  being  veri- 
fied by  experience  in  the  practical  way. 


172 


VIII. ARKANSAS    COAL. 

This  coal  is  found  at  the  mouth  of  Petit  Jean  River,  a  tribu- 
tary of  the  Arkansa-,  emptying  into  the  latter  river  in  latitude 
about  35°  north  and  15°  50'  west  longitude  from  Washington. 

This  coal  has  a  columnar  structure,  deep  black  color,  bright 
lustre  ;  texture  somewhat  loose  ;  surfaces  of  deposition  marked 
in  part  by  sulphate  of  iron.     Its  speciiic  gravity  is  1.541. 

In  coking,  it  varies  according  as  the  heat  is  more  or  less 
rapidly  appMed.  If  slowly  heated  it  scarcely  changes  the 
forms  of  its  fragments,  and  only  exhibits  slight  cracks  on 
some  of  its  faces.  When  rapidly  coked,  it  bursts  open  in  va- 
rious directions,  and  the  fragments  in  some  cases  fall  apart, 
while  in  others  they  remain  slightly  attached  to  each  other. 
The  gas  given  off  ia  coking,  burns  with  a  short  yellowish  flame, 
which  continues  but  for  a  short  time.  The  interior  of  the 
crucible  becomes  covered  with  plumbago  during  the  rapid 
coking  of  this  coal.  The  effect  of  a  red  heat  is  to  decompose 
the  sulphate  of  iron,  giving  rise  to  sulphurous  acid  and  perox- 
ide of  iron  ;  the  latter  remaining  in  the  coke,  giving  it  a  red- 
dish tinge,  while  the  former  is  volatilized. 

When  slowly  coked  this  coal  gives  of 

Volatile  matter, 
When  rapidly  coked,      "  " 


12.08  percent. 
15.79       " 


And  the  mean  of  these  two  is,  1.3.93 
Fixed  Carbon, 
Earthy  matter,    - 


70.35 
9.72 


u 
<( 


100. 
Ratio  of  fixed  to  volatile  combustible  =  5.48  :  1.  This 
should  seem  to  place  the  Arkansas  coal  about  on  a  level  with 
Dauphin  and  Susquehanna,  or  NeiT's  Cumberland  coal  of  the 
American  Series,  (p.  90,)  or  with  the  Dulfryn  coal  of  the 
British  Series,  (p.  97,)  and  if  so,  its  evaporative  power  would 
be  somewhere  between  9.34  and  10.14. 

IX. ANTHRACITF  OV  F-MRROKESniRE,  SOUTH  WALES. 

This  anthracite  strongly  resembles  that  of  Beaver  Meadows, 
Pennsylvania.  Its  color  is  deep  black  ;  its  fracture  is  even  or 
splintery.  It  manifests  little  or  n<  tendency  to  part  along  the 
surfaces  of  deposition  more  than  in  any  other  direction. 

It  specific  gravity  is  l.iOO. 


173 

It  contains  of  Volatile  matter,  - 
Fixed  Carbon, 
Earthy  matter,    - 


7.7G  per  cent. 
90.85       " 
1.39 


100. 


Consequently  the  fixed  is  to  the  volatile  combustible  mat- 
ter as  11.7  to  1. 

The  ashes  are  dirty  yellow,  intermingled  wilh  white.  It 
was  remarked  that  the  coal  seemed  to  cover  itself  with  ashes, 
(slight  as  is  the  quantity  of  the  latter,)  and  to  require  a  long 
time  to  effect  a  complete  combustion  in  the  mullle.  A  strong 
draught  or  suitable  blast  would  no  doubt  remedy  this  defect. 

X. ANTHRACITE    FROM    TOWN    HILL,    ALLEGHANY    COUNTV,    MD. 

This  specimen  has  the  appearance  of  having  been  subjected 
to  intense  pressure,  and  thereby  rendered  flaky  and  tender,  a 
result  often  observed  in  Pennsylvania,  where  either  the  coals 
or  the  accompanying  shales  have  been  contorted,  broken,  and 
compressed  while  sliding  over  each  other. 

It  has  a  specific  gravity  of  1.702,  which  is  sufilcient  with- 
out its  loose  shelly  texture,  its  steel  grey  color,  its  streaked 
and  shining  surface,  to  indicate  that  it  is  rather  anthracitous 
shale  than  pure  anthracite. 

By  analysis,  it  gave  Volatile  matter,        -       0.42  per  cent. 

Fixed  Carbon,  -        -     02.87 
L.irthy  matter,  -     30.71       "      "" 

Hence  the  fixed  is  to  the  volatile  combustible  matter  as 
9.79  to  1.  As  the  hygrometric  moisture  is  not  here  separately 
determined,  it  is  of  course  embraced  among  the  volatile  com- 
bustible. 

The  earthy  matter  is  shaly,  preserving  the  forms  of  the 
fragments  of  coal  before  incineration.  This  anthracite  might 
possibly  answer  for  some  purposes  where  the  large  amount 
of  residue  would  not  constitute  an  objection — but  for  most  of 
the  uses  of  anthracite,  this  would  wholly  preclude  its  adop- 
tion. 

XI. — HAY  OF  FUNDY  COAL. 

Coal  from  the  King's  seam,  South  Joggins'*  shore,  Bay  of 
Fundy,  Cumberland  county,  Nova  .Scotia.  This  coal  is  com- 
pact;  lustre  dull  or  pitchy;  structure  columnar;  fracture 
even  and  perpendicular  to  the  surfaces  of  deposition.     Specific 

•  See  page  10. 


-I         f;  I  "1 


174 


f 


I 


gravity  1.3S7.  Coked  vcvy  .slowly  it  umlergops  but  little  en- 
largement  of  bulk,  and  the  forms  of  the  fragments  are  nearly 
preserved.    It  gives  by  proximate  analysis, 

Volalile  matter. 

Fixed  carbon, 

Earthy  matter, 


H'i.'A  per  cent 

r>7.C)(j      " 


lOrt. 

Consequently  the  ratio  of  fixed  to  volatile  combustible  is 
1.02  to  1.  The  ashes  are  of  a  very  dark  brown,  almost  black, 
color,  partly  fused  into  clinker  adhering  to  the  platinum  cap- 
sule. 

XII. — Sl'niN(}  nil.L,  NOVA  SCuTIA,  COAL. 

The  locality  of  this  coal  is  ref(n-red  to  at  pages  H>,  11,  and 
10  of  this  work.  In  exterior  characters  the  coal  is  Jbliatcd, 
and  its  surfaces  of  deposition  highly  charged  with  minfrali/-ed 
charcoal.  The  partings  or  main  cleats  arc  oblique  to  those 
surlaces  aad  exhihit  a  shining  lustre.  The  coal  appears  to 
bear  handling  well  without  disintegration.  Its  specillc  gravity 
by  the  mean  of  two  trials  is  1.351. 

It  gives  of  Volatile  matter, 
Fixed  carbon, 
Earthy  matter, 


31.30  per  cent. 
01.14 
7.5(5        •* 


100. 
Consequently  the  rola'ion  of  the  fixed  to  the  volalile  com- 
bustible matter  is  l.i)0  to  1.     The  ashes  are  mixed  of  purpli.sh 
and  yellowish  white  portions,  light  and  slightly  coher.'ut. 

xni. — t'OAL  OP  i.rriLK  rivbr,  cai'K  r.uKTo.v. 

This  coal,  of  which  specimens  have  been  forwarded  within 
a  few  monlhs  from  .T.  ^Y,  Dawson,  Escj.,  of  Pietoii,  is  charac- 
ierizeu  by  a  foliated  structure,  compact  texture,  resim.us  lustre, 
and  dead  black  color;  some  of  its  surlaces  jire,  however, 
shining,  as  if  from  the  effect  of  rubbing  under  heavy  pressure. 
Its  speoitic  gravitv  is  1.3.j8.  In  coking  it  gives  a  copious  dis- 
charge of  gas  which  burns  with  great  brillianey,  indicating  a 
good" port  ion  of  bicarburetted  hydrogen.  Uy  a  pretty  rapid 
coking  it  ullbrds  of  Volatile  matter,  -  -  3100  per  cent. 
And  leave.'3  Fixed  carhon,  -  -  5!.  12 
Earthy  matter,      -        -     10.50 

100. 


175 


Conscfiucntlv  the  fixed  is  to  the  volatile  combustible  matter 
as  1.27  to  i.  The  ashes  are  o{  a  chocolate  color,  heavy,  but 
not  easily  vitrilied. 

XIV. — COAL  OP  Nl-AV  |1R«.NS\VJCK, 

This  coal  is  iVom  the  mines  near  the  head  of  Grand  Lake» 
reierrcd  to  al  pnue  1 1  of  t his  \voi-k.  Its  struci  uvc  is  lamellar ; 
its  surfaces  of  deposit  ion  are  dull  black,  with  minute  fossil 
impressions  copiously  interspersed. 

Tlie  specimen  havni<;-  been  kept  for  more  than  <hrec  years, 
hadbciiuntoexliibit  etiloresccnt  suiphateof  iron  and  ammonia. 
Itsspecilic  gravity  is  \A-2l.     Coked  with  moderate  rapidity 
it  yielded         Volatile  matter,       -         -         -     .'{I.S?  per  cent. 
Fixed  carbon,  -         -         •     .W.O'.       « 

Earthy  matter,        ...     VH)S 
Consequently  the  fixed  is  to  the  volatile  combustible  mat. 
tcr  as  1.15  to  i.    The  ashes  are  of  a  deej)  red  color. 


XV. — nKnrruMiNt/r.n  coai,.  ei.ovEtt  nu.i.,  va. 

At  the  Tippecanoe  pits,  Clover  Hill,  in  the  southern  part  of 
the  Vir^Muia  coal  licld,  is  a  dike  of  trap  running  i\w  cast  and 
west,  on  «'ach  side  of  which  helow  the  surface  of  the  grotmd 
is  found  a  stratum  of  fuller's  earth.  Where  this  trap  dike 
cuts  the  coal  seam  it  has  converted  the  coal  in  imuKMliale  con- 
fij-iiilvwilhthefulh'r'si-arlh.parlial'vintocoke,  posst'<si!igthe 

followmg  characlcrs : 

lis  color  is  a  dead  black,  searc<'ly  any  surface  showing  more 
than  a  faint  gliuun.-iing lustre.  It*  might  readily  be  mistaken 
for  a  very  diMise  art'.iivial  coke,  but  it  preserves,  in  some  de- 
gree, the  columnar  strueture  of  the  coal,  lis  sjjeeiiie  gravity  is 
l.(U~about  fl'  same  as  thai  of  many  anthracites.  Subjected 
to  a  bright  red  heal,  it  retains  the  form  of  its  fragments  en- 
tirely unehair^ed,  but  loses — 

Volatile  matter  .  1  l.KM  i-er  cent. 

And  when  incinerat^'d,  give^  Fixed  Carbon . 


Leavi  ig, 


Earthly  matter 


7(J.M) 

H.2h 

100. 


Hence  the  llxed  is  to  the  volatile  combustible  as  ^1.18  to  1, 
which  would  pla<  e  this  nuiterial  on  a  p.-.r.  in  point  of  consti-^ 
tulion  and  probable  .»vaporaii\e  ])ower  with  the  coals  of 
Cumberland,  Md.,  J.nd  o^  South  Widcs.  Tlie  ashes  are  nearly 
of  a  pure  white  colour. 


if 


XVI.- 


vm 


'COM.  FROM  THE  SAME  PEAM  AS  ABOVE,  AND  WITHIN  A  FEW  FEET 
OP  THE  COKE  AT  Tiri'ECANOE  PIT. 


To  ascertain  the  relation  of  the  coal  to  the  coke  in  this 
mine,  the  following  analysis  was  made.  The  coal  has  the 
following  character: 

Its  lustre  is  shining  or  resinous;  its  cross  fructures  are  very 
brilliant,  and  but  little  mineral  charcoal  is  seen  on  its  surfaces 
of  deposition.     Its  colour  is  jet  black. 
Its  Specific  gravity  is  1.31. 

Volatile  matter-  »  «  - 
Fixed  Carbon  -  .  -  . 
Earthy  matter  .        .        -        - 


-  33.65  per  cent. 

-  61.51       " 

-  4,84       •* 


100. 


Consequently  the  fixed  is  to  the  volatile  combustible  as 
1.82  to  1.  The  ashes  are  of  a  reddish  brown  colour,  and  are 
slightly  inclined  to  pass  into  clinker. 


i, 


177 


FEET 


Summary  op  Analysis. 


this 
i  the 

very 
'aces 


cent. 


e  as 
i  are 


[ 


The  following  table  exhibits  a  synoptical  view  of  the  pre- 
ceding recent  analyses  arranged  in  the  order  of  the  ratios  of 
fixed  to  volatile  combustible  matter,  the  latter  including,  of 
course,  the  hygronometer  moisture  of  each  sample.  The 
volatile  matter  of  the  two  plumbaginous  specimens  is  doubt- 
less  nearly  all  water,  but  probably  some  portion  of  it  is  com- 
bined with  the  earthy  matter  or  oxides  in  the  state  of  hydrates. 


2^  »-  S-  K  3 

•    3  2T  j^  ?! 
JO  3*  I?  3  <' 

•    ;:•  '^  > 


CD 
<*  ! 


S-S  2.  q 
§  §«  1^ 

3  OpSO 
02:=  ?3 

_         O    c    .      B 


SO;    Or- 


s  g  o 

3  "  o 

3- ""3. 


c  5.  E. 

—  33 
O  a.  a. 

?::*?« 
h:h  3 

a  c  ~ 
:    o  3 

•     ?r  o 

^    *<   -^^ 


p  r  3  c  B» 

E  §"  ?  i'  • 

2^  £•§  g- 

^^^  ^'^■ 
?  s  r  w  5 

S  *<    B    O    ■ 


T 
3 
3- 
B 

B 

3 

3 
ft 

o 

o 

B 


»  : 


;?i 


3  s 

ft  ' 
*<  : 


a! 


«  en 


0  xa  i:  —  .^  W         hlJ-^iOC*^—         0J3D 


•J 


Specific  Gravity. 


M  M  ^s  u  M  u      w  to  CO  00  10  4^  w  w  .- ^ 


Volatile  matter. 


fo  "-I  X)  "oD  w  or  tf  "»  "^»  tn  10  S5  i»  00  155  o  CI  4^  pt».  10  O^ 


Fixed  Carbon. 


I  en  w  .-t  -J  to  <x  y 

'  S  ;0  —  hO  TD  O  Q-i 


-  j:  t:>  -s  <u  a  it>  <s  ut  Ki  v>  <t^  '-' 

-,  *►  tC  i  Ci  to  tP  -T-  Ci  l»  tC  XI  w 


Earthy  matter. 


Ki 


Ratio  of  Fixed  to  Volatile 
Matter. 


00  ^  =  5t 
B  S      " 


3*  —  B 

8  g  '^ 


"H.  3^ 

li 


pa  72  <  nj  o  ?3  a 

ft  z;  t  »  f»  1^  (» 
a- 

EL.' 


.•■<5  ^ 


^    B 

2.*. 

§.» 

!6 


3  2  m  • 


Ot2!0 

as   ^  ff^ 

?7     "-I  rt 

o"^  I- 

-.       .M  B 

«    <  « 

•  ?  s. 

CO  • 


2  < 


178 


PEACTICAL  HINTS   FOR  THE  SEI-FXTION  OF  COALS  FOR  DOMESTIC  ASD 

OTHER  Ul^ES, 

From  a  late  article  in  ihr-  Erlinltnrgh  Hcvirw/it  apprnrs  to 
be  a  now  idea  in  Great  Britain  th.-it  anthracite  \s  |nei'ernh}e 
for  all  <Iom("stic  purposej*  to  any  other  luel  whatever.  This 
idea  the  reviewer  has.  it  appears, ol>tainc(l  from  the  clahorate 
and  valuable  work  of  II.  C.  Taylor,  Esq.,  on  thn*'.Statisliei<of 
Coal."  It  is  by  no  means  new  in  this  eountry.ns  the  praeticc 
of  all  the  Athmtic  cities,  and  the  multitudes  of  inventions  dfi- 
signed  to  facilitate  the  application  of  anthracite  to  domestic 
puvi-oses,  fully  attest.  But  not  every  variety  of  anthracite  is 
equally  adapted  to  all  domestic  purposes. 

1.  For  open  grates,  where  a  lively  fire  with  considerable 
flame  is  thought  desirable,  and  where  the  moderates  intensity 
of  heat  will  not  endanger  the  conversion  of  a  great  portion  of 
the  ashes  into  rlinfar,  the  re<f  ash  coals  mny  be  employed  to 
advantage.  A  study  of  the  Report  on  American  coals  will 
show  that  the  more  rapid  and  intense  is  the  fire,  during  the 
combustion  of  any  given  coal,  the  greater  will  be  the  propor- 
tion of  clinker  it  makes. 

2.  In  furnaces  for  healing  houses,  and  in  general  f<ir  close 
stoves  having  any  considerable  capacity,  and  liable  to  produce 
a  very  high  white  heat,  the  white  or  grey  ash  anthracites  are 
preferable.  ,     » . 

3.  In  the  e  vrller  use  of  anthracites  both  red  and  white  ash, 
an  error  was  very  generally  committed  in  attempting  to  use 
them  in  too  large  lumps.  As  this  fuel  burns  almost  solely  by 
the  contact  of  air  with  the  surface  of  the  incandescent  coal, 
it  is  essential  to  the  uitainment  of  its  maximum  effect  that 
large  vacant  spaces  shot  Id  not  be  left  between  the  lumps.^  As 
bituminous  coal  gives  oU' large  quantities  of  gas  which  fdl  up 
such  open  spaces,  the  evil  is  less  liable  to  occur  with  that  fuel. 

In  selecting  coal  for  gas  works,  those  varieties  arc  to  be 
chosen  which  possess  large  proportions  of  volatile  matter  nnd 
as  little  as  possibk-  of  sulphur.  The  rich  cannel  coals  are 
generally  preferred  for  this  purpose. 

For  smiths' work,  coals  are  generally  preferred  which,  m 
being  heated  to  redness,  agglutinate  their  lumps  firmly  to- 
gether. Wh<'n  a  hollow  fire  is  not  required,  however,  the 
coals  of  loM-  bituminousness,  nnd  which  have  but  little  ten- 
dency to  inturaescence  or  cohesion  of  lumps,  may  be  employed ; 
and  the  higher  heating  power  of  such  coals  will  always  give 
them  a  preference  where  economy  of  fuel  is  an  important 
considerat  ion.    Coals  pos>fessing  a  large  port  ion  of  iron  pyrites 


, 


v:  j 


;  ■■ 


no 

(hisulphurpt  of  iron)  must  bo  nvouled  in  smiths'  work.  The 
decomposition  of  the  hisulphiiict  iu  the  coal  sets  free  one 
atom  of  the  sulphur,  which  attacks  and  consumes  the  iron, 
remlerinj:  it.  brittle,  ruul  preventing  sound  wtddiny;. 

For  forminj;  bricks,  a  j)ortion  of  anthracite  dust  has  fre- 
qiientlv  been  employed  to  advantajre. 

For*burnin«r  lime,  anthracite  is  employed  in  the  state  of 
small  nut  or  pea  coal.  The  white  ash  coal  should  be  selected 
for  this  purpos*',  if  we  would  avoid  discoloration  from  an  in- 
termixture of  oxide  of  iron  with  the  Wmf.. 

For  Nteamships,  coals  of  hi<i;h  hcatin«;  power  under  a  fiiven 
bulk,  of -rreat  purity,  that  is  free  from  earthy  matter,  of  little 
tendency  to  clinker,' and  entirely  free  from  the  danger  of  tak- 
ing lire  by  spontaneous  cond)ustion,  ought  in  all  cases  to  be 
chosen.  Anthracites  are  least  liable  to  this  evil,  but  many  of 
the  cannel  eords  and  free  burning  bituminous  coals  are  also 
ne.nrlv  exempt  from  danger  on  this  account.  When  a  coal, 
after'an  exposure  of  some  time  to  the  atmosphere,  begins  to 
exhibit  elUorescent,  white  or  greenish  white  salts  of  iron  on 
the  exterior,  and  to  fall  rapidly  Into  small  fragments,  it  is  to 
be  suspected. 

Housekeepers  and  others  should  endeavor  to  acquu-e  some 
familiarity  with  the  aspect  of  coal,  in  order  to  distinguish 
lumps  of  state,  from  true  coal.  All  the  slate  they  buy,  is  not 
merely  a  fraud  upon  their  linances,  but  a  tax  upon  time,  in 
putting  in  and  taking  out  so  much  waste  materials  from  grates 
and  furnaces.  The  formation  of  clinkers,  which  destroy  the 
linings  <»f  stoves,  brings  a  new  source  of  annoyance  and  of 
useless  expense. 


